Crystal

Crystal Palace are closing in on the signing of Anan Khalaili from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

The 21-year-old is expected to complete his move to the Eagles in the coming week with the Athletic reporting that the fee is in the region of £21m.

Khalaili, who operates on the right of midfield, made 52 appearances in all competitions for Union SG last season, scoring six goals and registering six assists.

The Israeli international played for Union SG in the Champions League and will bring European experience to the Eagles as they prepare for their Europa League campaign.

Palace have been active in the transfer market and have completed the signings of defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oscar Mingueza on free transfers.

BBC Sport reported last week that Palace are also set to sign 19-year-old Real Salt Lake winger Zavier Gozo while also revealing that there was interest in Brennan Johnson.

Johnson is now set to complete a move to Everton as part of a swap deal involving Dwight McNeil moving in the opposite direction.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has been determined to bolster his wing-back options following Issa Kabore’s return to parent club Manchester City after his loan spell at the Stok Cae Ras last term.

Imray is yet to make a senior appearance for Palace, although he has gained plenty of experience at first-team level elsewhere.

Imray was immediately loaned back to Chelmsford City after securing a permanent switch to Selhurst Park in 2021.

He made 43 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals, during a season-long loan spell with Bromley in 2024-25.

Imray then spent the opening half of the 2025-26 campaign on loan at League One side Blackpool before joining Championship West Brom in January.

He featured 17 times in all competitions for the Baggies, including in a 2-2 draw with Wrexham at The Hawthorns in April.

Having made 13 first-team signings last summer on the back of securing automatic promotion from League One, Parkinson will not be making wholesale changes to his squad before the 2026-27 campaign.

However, a goalkeeper, a centre-back, a central midfielder and a forward are all potential additions alongside Imray.

FINDING a pretty UK beach devoid of crowds can often feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.

But in Devon there is a beach spot I will always head to for both peace and feeling as if I’ve been transported to another country.

Elberry Cove sits on the South West Coast Path between Paignton and Brixham.

Instead of the busier Broadsands Beach next door, head along the South West Coast Path for 15 minutes from Broadsands Beach car park and you’ll reach the cove.

Alternatively, you could head down Elberry Lane where you will find a path down to the beach, which is less rocky and steep.

Every time I have visited, that moment where the beach comes into view makes me feel warm and fuzzy, and as if I have been picked up and dumped on some remote Greek island.

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The beach features a mixture of shingle and pebbles, so I would recommend bringing a chair as well as beach shoes.

And then as you head down to the water, you’ll find crystal clear water that is actually relatively warm.

At the eastern end of the cove there is even a ruin of an 18th-century bathhouse, that was built for Lord Churston.

It essentially let him swim directly into the sea through a gated doorway.

The bathhouse also had an early version of a hot tub, which was heated by a fire.

The cove is even believed to have connections to the famous crime author Agatha Christie, who grew up in the area, and used it as a setting in her novel The ABC Murders.

The cove is a designated waterskiing area too, which means when sitting on the beach you can watch them whizz up and down.

You can swim off the beach, but make sure to not enter the ski lane.

The cove is home to large eelgrass beds as well, which are where many seahorses breed.

I’ve even been lucky enough to spot seals from the beach.

And I’m not the only one who thinks the beach is special…

One recent visitor said in a review: “This picturesque location boasts mesmerizing blue-green waters reminiscent of a tropical paradise.

“Personally, I consider it to be the most captivating spot in the region.”

Another visitor said: “Elberry Cove is the kind of place that makes you feel like you’ve stumbled into a secret.”

Don’t expect a cafe or toilets at the beach (you’ll need to go back to Broadsands for that) and dogs are permitted year-round.

With all the lovely weather in the UK right now, you know where you’ll find me…

I was lucky enough to visit this gorgeous island and I can’t wait to go back.

Summer is here, and with that comes summer holidays. Living in the UK, we’re blessed to have Europe on our doorstep – but with so many options, how can you decide where you want to go? There’s the popular spots of course, places like Barcelona in Spain or Mykonos in Greece.

However, these destinations can quickly become overrun with other tourists who have had the same idea as you and what should have been a relaxing break can soon become an overcrowded nightmare.

Luckily, there are plenty of places that are just as beautiful but without the sky-high price tag and teeming crowds. One such place is a charming Greek island, just a few hours ferry ride from the bustling capital of Athens.

I was lucky enough to visit this island a few years ago, and it absolutely blew my mind.

It’s got the bright blue and shining white buildings that are iconic of Greece, as well as the crystal clear beaches – some of which look like they’ve been plucked straight from another planet.

There’s charm in every corner of the cobbled streets, as well as delicious food and laid-back beachfront bars.

This paradise is Paros, a pear-shaped island in the middle of the Aegean Sea. It’s the perfect spot to base yourself if you fancy a bit of island hopping, with its even quieter sister island, Antiparos, just minutes away by boat.

When you step off the boat at the main Paros port in Parikia, you are greeted by gorgeous beaches and a market square lined with tavernas and bars.

Bougainvillaea grows across the narrow streets, and there are plenty of boutique shops to explore, too.

Sleepy cats wander to and fro across the alleys, and if you fancy taking a day trip, you can hire a car, scooter or even a buggy to travel across the island to the other village of Naoussa.

Here, the town buzzes with life, and you can eat some of the tastiest seafood, freshly caught. It’s also home to one of the island’s most stunning beaches.

Kolymbithres looks alien due to its large, clay rock formations that line the bright blue, calm ocean.

If you fancy it, you can hire a sunbed – but the rock formations make a perfectly good bed in of themselves.

Some sections are small enough for one or two, while other, larger recesses can fit dozens. It’s a fabulous place to spend the day, dipping in and out of the water and sunning yourself on the white-washed cliffs that surround it.

Behind the bay, there are a few bars and taverns where you can buy drinks and snacks, then carry them back over to the beach. Make sure to take all your rubbish with you to avoid spoiling this beautiful bay.

Holidaymakers are urged to ditch Ibiza and Marbella for Spain’s ‘real paradise’ – a stunning Mediterranean beach escape with crystal clear water, hidden coves and charming medieval villages

With summer now officially upon us, many people will be looking to escape the UK and soak up some sun abroad, even as temperatures across the country are forecast to reach as high as 30C over the coming weeks. Yet it appears that British holiday habits are shifting.

Research suggests that many Brits are turning their backs on Southern Europe, with popular hotspots in Spain, Turkey and Greece attracting fewer UK visitors than before. And while plenty of travellers may have concerns about overcrowding at well-trodden holiday destinations, there are a number of hidden gems just waiting to be uncovered.

One TikTok account has been singing the praises of what they’ve dubbed ‘Spain’s real paradise‘, urging holidaymakers to swap the likes of Ibiza and Marbella for this lesser-known treasure instead.

“Forget Ibiza. This is Spain’s real paradise,” read the on-screen text in the video, which offered a tantalising glimpse of a stunning coastal town with a beach as its backdrop.

The clip went on to showcase a breathtaking sandy beach with crystal-clear waters that ‘looks straight out of the Caribbean’, along with secluded water coves just waiting to be explored.

For those fancying a break from the beach, there are also Medieval towns and castles to discover, as well as coastal walking trails that offer truly spectacular scenery.

They wrote in the caption: “Costa Brava is one of the most beautiful destinations in Spain, with crystal-clear waters, hidden beaches, charming medieval villages, scenic coastal walks, and stunning Mediterranean views.”

The Costa Brava, which translates as “Wild Coast,” is a rugged, striking stretch of shoreline in Catalonia, north-eastern Spain. Running from Blanes all the way to the French border, it’s celebrated for its dramatic cliffs, secluded coves, medieval villages, and its connection to surrealist artist Salvador Dalí.

“If you’re planning a Spain vacation, add Costa Brava to your travel bucket list,” the caption continued.

Given its size, you’ve got plenty of choice when it comes to picking a base that suits your holiday plans. If you fancy a quaint village with rocky coves and pristine waters, then Calella de Palafrugell might be just the ticket.

Celebrated for its beauty, Tossa de Mar features a remarkably preserved medieval walled old town perched above a golden beach. Meanwhile, Cadaqués offers a more bohemian vibe, having once been a retreat for artist Salvador Dalí. For those after a livelier break, Lloret de Mar serves as a buzzing hotspot for nightlife, water parks, and package getaways.

If Costa Brava is on the cards for your next escape, the shoulder months of May, June, and September are generally regarded as the ideal time to go. You’ll benefit from warm, swimmable conditions, pleasant sea temperatures, and fewer crowds, according to EasyJet.

The summer months of July and August represent the busiest period, drawing enormous crowds and heavy traffic, whereas the winter season from November through to March brings cold weather and sees many coastal eateries and hotels shut their doors until spring.

It was only a couple of weeks after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley that Palace were hit with a devastating sucker-punch.

It was early July and south London was eagerly anticipating the prospect of Selhurst Park hosting Europa League football for the first time.

But after Uefa deemed Palace to have breached its multi-club ownership rules – with American businessman John Textor holding stakes in both the Eagles and French side Lyon, who had also qualified for the Europa League – Glasner’s team were demoted to the Conference League.

The shock verdict threatened to suck the life out of Palace’s success before the new season had even began, with Parish describing it as “probably one of the greatest injustices that has ever happened in European football” before an ultimately unsuccessful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

After a 120-year wait for a first major trophy, however, it was going to take more than that to dampen Palace’s spirits.

The Eagles showed no signs of feeling sorry for themselves when starting the new season by defeating Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield in the now-familiar surroundings of Wembley.

But the turbulence continued with the departure of talisman Eberechi Eze, who left for a record fee to join Arsenal after five years at Selhurst Park.

And they nearly also have had to cope with the loss of star defender and captain Marc Guehi had Glasner not intervened.

The England international was all set to rubber-stamp a move to Liverpool until Palace pulled the plug late on deadline day after a move for his intended replacement – Brighton’s Igor Julio – failed to materialise.

After Guehi’s move to fell through – which would have brought Palace a fee in excess of £35m for a player in the final 12 months of his contract – the lines between Glasner and Parish appeared to blur.

It was reported that the Austrian manager, also in the final year of his deal at Selhurst Park, had threatened to quit if Parish had sanctioned Guehi’s move to Merseyside.

Glasner was left frustrated that Palace, preparing for their debut European campaign – which would include at least six additional games in the league phase of the competition – seemed willing to sanction departures rather than retain and strengthen the squad they already had.

It was clear tensions were rising behind the scenes at Selhurst Park.