Liverpool would 'reluctantly' accept £25m Crystal Palace offer as Sunderland duo 'eyed' alongside Bellingham

Crystal Palace get a break from Premier League action this weekend as they host League One Stockport County in the third round of the FA Cup. The Eagles have turned a corner of late with just two defeats from their last 10 games in all competitions.

Both of those losses came at the hands of Arsenal, with a 3-2 loss in the Carabao Cup followed by a 5-1 Premier League defeat. Since those fixtures, Palace have picked up a point at Bournemouth, beat struggling Southampton and drew 1-1 with Chelsea last weekend to further dent the Blues title hopes.

After a slow start to the campaign, manager Oliver Glasner is sitting further down the table than he would like with the Eagles in 15th and five points above the bottom three. Since the transfer window opened, Palace have been linked with a number of players. That includes Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham, who is the brother of England international and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham. However, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also among the clubs who are said to be interested in the Black Cats midfielder.

Palace ‘interested’ in other Sunderland stars

According to a report from TBR Football, scouts from Selhurst Park have also been watching Black Cats pair Chris Rigg and Trai Hume. Rigg is only 17-years-old but has become a major player for the Stadium of Light outfit. He has made 22 league appearances this term, scoring four goals and providing one assist. He has also been linked with Manchester United.

Rigg made his debut for Sunderland aged 15 when he appeared in an FA Cup clash against Shrewsbury Town back in January 2023. Speaking about the player back in September, Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris said: "I don't think the age is a problem. You can have a high level of maturity at 17 and a low level of maturity at 30. I think that Chris Rigg is a good symbol of what we want to create and build as a team. He still wants to improve, still wants to understand the game and if we can share all these ideas, we can have the energy we need as a team even against a strong opponent."

Meanwhile, Hume is a defender who joined Sunderland from Irish Premiership side Linfield back in 2022. He has captained Northern Ireland despite just having 15 international caps under his belt. In the summer, the 22-year-old was reportedly the subject of interest from Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Leeds United, Leicester City and Serie A side Napoli, with Sunderland putting a £10m price tag on his head to deter any suitors.

Liverpool ‘would accept’ £25m for Doak

Crystal Palace’s interest in Liverpool forward Ben Doak has been well documented, with repots emerging over the weekend that the Reds had rejected a £15m from the Eagles for the Scotland international. Doak is currently on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough and has made a strong impression in the north east.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool would “reluctantly” accept an offer of £25m for the player. Ipswich Town are another club showing an interest and have reportedly had a bid rejected. Doak did join Boro on a season-long loan back in August and speaking of the player’s situation after a 1-1 draw with Cardiff City, manager Michael Carrick said: “Nothing’s changed. Loans are loans, that’s how it is. In terms of the situation, it’s exactly where we are. He played today, looked dangerous and created a goal. It is what it is. Nothing has changed from our point of view. I’m pretty calm about it.”

He also praised the forward back in November, stating: "There’s no getting away from it, Ben’s having a really good time of it at the moment. He’s playing some good football and looking dangerous. The opportunity for him to come here and play and be part of the squad - he’s obviously confident. We know his strengths, it’s pretty obvious what he’s good at and he’s taken that on to Scotland as well."