Published May 28, 2026, 6:20 PM GMT+1

Emilio is an experienced football journalist who has worked at Football FanCast for over six years.

After graduating with first-class honours from the University of Central Lancashire in 2019, it didn't take long for Emilio to clinch his first job in journalism at Snack Media, now Valnet.

Emilio has written for a host of the company's biggest past and current football news websites - Vital Football, The Transfer Tavern and Football FanCast. 

Emilio's strengths include the intricacies of football transfers, while he particularly enjoys writing about the business side of football. He has covered Tottenham Hotspur on a weekly basis for a number of years now, developing a deep understanding of the culture and what Lilywhites fans engage with.

In his spare time, you can find Emilio travelling the world, or even in a boxing ring.

The celebrations around Selhurst Park have reflected just how significant the achievement was.

Palace have spent years trying to establish themselves as more than a mid-table Premier League side, and lifting European silverware has now pushed the club into completely new territory.

Even with attention focused on the present success, there is also renewed interest in some of the transfer decisions Palace made in the past — including one involving a player now being reliably linked with a massive move to Liverpool.

RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande has emerged as one of the hottest young talents in Europe following a standout season in Germany.

The 19-year-old’s rapid rise has attracted interest from several elite clubs, and according to The Telegraph, Liverpool now view him as their leading option to replace Mohamed Salah.

Reports have suggested a deal could eventually cost as much as £130 million.

That development has inevitably brought renewed focus to Diomande’s earlier career, and specifically to a trial spell with Crystal Palace that never resulted in a transfer.

Yan Diomande makes Crystal Palace reveal amid Liverpool interest

In an interview with Foot, as transcribed by Sport Witness, Diomande explained that Palace were one of several English clubs to look at him before his breakthrough.

At the time, those missed opportunities would barely have registered outside youth scouting circles.

Now, however, they look very different given how quickly Diomande’s reputation has exploded.

The winger has become one of Leipzig’s standout attacking players and is now viewed as one of the most exciting young wide forwards in Europe.

Diomande bagged 12 goals and nine assists in 33 Bundesliga outings before the end of 25/26, making his £17m fee from Leganes last year seem like chump change.

His pace, direct running and ability in one-against-one situations have drawn comparisons with several elite-level attackers, while his output this season has only increased interest from top clubs.

Liverpool’s interest underlines just how highly he is now rated.

Replacing Salah is viewed internally as one of the biggest challenges facing the club over the next few years, with the Egyptian bidding farewell to Anfield after an historic spell on Merseyside.

For Palace supporters, the story may create mixed feelings.'

On one hand, the club are currently enjoying the greatest moment in their history after European success. On the other, Diomande’s comments are a reminder of how fine the margins can be in recruitment, especially when dealing with teenage talent.

Still, Palace’s current progress also shows how far the club have come in their own right.

Winning the Conference League has changed perceptions externally, and their growing ambition means they are increasingly competing in markets they may previously have struggled to access.

As for Diomande, his career has accelerated dramatically since those early trials in England. What once looked like a missed opportunity at Palace may soon become one of the biggest transfer stories in Europe if Liverpool decide to push ahead with a move worth well into nine figures.