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7 Crystal Palace Summer Transfer Targets

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Cheick Doucoure for Lens

With the summer 2022 transfer window opening on Friday the 10th of June, we thought we’d look at who the Crystal Palace transfer targets are.

Of course, there are many Palace transfer rumours going around already as it is silly season, after all. But, with the departure of one player already and probably more to follow, Vieira and the board will already be eyeing up who they can bring in for the new season.

Here are some of the names that have been mentioned so far.

Conor Gallagher

We’ll start by mentioning Gallagher as it’s the most talked about of all Palace’s transfer targets. Both Steve Parish and Patrick Vieira have made it clear that they’d love to have Conor back at Selhurst Park, whether that would be on another loan deal or permanently.

This decision is obviously up to the player and Chelsea first and foremost. Plus, there’s the fact that Chelsea would be asking for a high fee now if they did want to sell him. We doubt that Gallagher will join The Eagles on a permanent deal, possibly another season-long loan, but even that feels unlikely.

Cheick Doucoure

This nicely leads us on to the next possible Crystal Palace signing and this is Lens midfielder Cheick Doucoure. The Malian would be a great replacement if Kouyate doesn’t renew his contract and if Milivojevic leaves the club. He is a defensive midfielder who doesn’t mind getting stuck in and could learn a lot from McArthur, Schlupp, and Hughes.

The Sun reported that the fee would be around £15million for the 22-year-old and that Patrick Vieira has watched him closely this season.

As we said already, if Gallagher is allowed to leave and wants to, Chelsea’s asking price will definitely be north of £30million, over double the fee for Doucoure. So, this sounds like the smarter and more likely deal for this role.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Out of favour Manchester United right-back and former Palace academy graduate, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, has been linked with a move back to Selhurst Park. The 24-year-old was a substitute for most of the season after Ralf Rangnick came in which is how this rumour started. However, new manager Erik Ten Hag has only just started so hasn’t been able to see him in person at training.

He joined United in the summer of 2019 for £50million after winning Crystal Palace’s player of the year award. Whilst the youngster was great for Palace, they won’t be wanting to pay a high transfer fee to bring him back, so Man United will have to sell at a cut price if they do want him to leave.

Current right-back Joel Ward is getting older and Nathaniel Clyne is one of the Palace players out of contract and he’s also now 32, so it would be a good time to recruit for this position. But, it’s likely Clyne will sign a contract extension and Wan-Bissaka will want to go somewhere that he plays regularly. To be honest, we can’t see this happening this year, maybe a year down the line.

Sam Johnstone

Sam Johnstone is a free agent after finishing his season at West Brom and has been linked with Palace. In fact, the Daily Mail stated that the club and player are in advanced talks with a 5-year deal on the table.

Starting keeper Guaita is 35 so Johnstone could be a good number two for the Spaniard, although Jack Butland performed well when called upon this season.

Butland will want to get as much game time as possible next season and if Johnstone was to come in, that would definitely mean that he’s on his way out. The Sun has rumoured that both Bournemouth and Rangers are interested in signing Butland so Johnstone would be a good replacement that can challenge Guaita to start.

Malcolm Ebiowei

Derby County’s Malcolm Ebiowei is said to be attracting a lot of interest after Wayne Rooney’s side were relegated to League One. Fabrizio Romano tweeted last Thursday that Manchester United and Crystal Palace are both interested in Ebiowei.

Luke Plange joined The Eagles in January from Derby and will likely be loaned out next season to help him develop. If Palace sign Ebiowei, he’d likely be loaned back out as well.

Lewis O’Brien

There have been rumours in the past couple of weeks that both Crystal Palace and Leeds are interested in Huddersfield’s Lewis O’Brien. The fact that The Terriers lost the Championship Play-off final on Sunday to Nottingham Forest, means that he’ll likely leave for a Premier League club.

Leeds have supposedly bid for the English midfielder before and are currently in pole position to sign him with the fee rumoured to be £10million. Palace might want to get more involved now that they know he won’t be playing in the Premier League with Huddersfield.

Levi Colwill

Chelsea loanee Levi Colwill had a great season at Huddersfield Town, but he’ll be heading back to his parent club after the playoff final yesterday. Football.london reported that he’d be open to another season at Huddersfield, but other sources claim that both Arsenal and Crystal Palace are interested in the young defender.

Palace do need to sign another centre-back as if Guehi or Andersen were to get injured, it would mean that Ward or Kouyate would have to fill in there. James Tomkins is out of contract and with only nine appearances this season we doubt his contract will be renewed.

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Palace Return Likely For Wan-Bissaka

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Aaron Wan-Bissaka in United training gear

Aaron Wan-Bissaka could be set for a surprise return to Crystal Palace after a disappointing season at Manchester United. The young right-back was a key player for Palace after coming through the academy at the South London club. But he’s struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford since joining. With United manager Erik Ten Hag reportedly keen to offload him, a return to Selhurst Park could be on the cards.

Wan-Bissaka made his £50 million move to United back in the summer of 2019, but he has failed to live up to his hefty price tag. He played more frequently under former manager Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer, but Erik Ten Hag has preferred Diogo Dalot as his first pick at right-back.

There are even reports that he’d prefer to play Lindelof or Malacia in this position instead of Wan-Bissaka.

As he’s not one of the 14 Manchester United players heading to the World Cup, he’ll be at a training camp in Cadiz, Spain with the other players that haven’t gone to the tournament.

A move back to Palace would make sense for all parties involved. Wan-Bissaka knows the club well having come through the youth academy and he’d be in contention for a starting place as both Nathaniel Clyne and Joel Ward head further into their thirties.

For Palace, they would get a quality player at a cut-price fee. With Wan-Bissaka’s future at United in doubt, a reunion with Crystal Palace is looking more likely than it did in the summer when he was linked with Mourinho at Roma.

We’ve seen this type of return transfer before at Palace. You only have to look at when Wilfried Zaha left Crystal Palace for Manchester United only to resign permanently for the Eagles less than two years later. Look how that’s turned out. Palace fans will surely be happy to have him back in the squad.

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Christian Benteke Departs After 6 Years at Palace

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Christian Benteke in Crystal Palace's new kit

After reports that Christian Benteke was set to join Premier League rivals Wolves, it was announced just before the Arsenal match that he’s signed for MLS side D.C. United. Benteke joined the Eagles back in 2016 from Liverpool for a club-record fee of £32.5 million.

During his six years at the club, the Belgian scored 37 goals in 177 appearances. Though, the introduction of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard meant that he had less game time last season.

With only a year left on his contract, Palace would’ve wanted to get some money for him rather than letting him leave on a free transfer next year. Patrick Vieira made it sound like it was mainly the player’s choice in his post-match press conference after the match with Arsenal, but it was probably mutual.

“This is something he wanted to do. When players want to play, and you can’t guarantee them time or games, you have to let them go,”

“Christian spent six years at this football club, and he was fantastic for the football club. This is something he wanted to do, and we wish him all the best.”

We can’t see Palace bringing in another striker as Vieira likes to play Zaha as the sole forward sometimes and then there’s obviously Matetea and Edouard. Luke Plange might even get a chance upfront, we’ll have to wait and see.

Here’s a post from Benteke’s Instagram showing his highlights from a decade in the Premier League. He’ll now play for former Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney, who is managing D.C. United.

Chairman Steve Parish commented on the news: “Christian has played a crucial role in this club’s Premier League journey, making an immediate impact after signing and playing a central role in the squad ever since.

“He’s someone I’ve enjoyed a great relationship with and he’s shown incredible loyalty staying with the club when he could easily have taken other options. We all wish him all the very best with the next stage of his career.”

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Chris Richards Signs on 5-Year Deal From Bayern Munich

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Chris Richards wearing Crystal Palace new home kit

Palace have made their fourth signing of the summer transfer window bringing in American defender Chris Richards from Bayern Munich. The 22-year-old had been linked with the Eagles for over a month and now the £11 million deal has been finalised.

Richards is originally from Alabama but made the move to Germany in 2018 after impressing on a 10-day trial at the Bundesliga title winners. During this time he played the Bayern Munich second team and was loaned out to 1899 Hoffenheim for a season and a half. He made five appearances for the first team during his four years at the club, but is clearly looking for regular football, especially as it’s a World Cup year.

Richards is naturally a centre-back, but he can play as a right-back as well. Palace were always in for a new centre-back to take the pressure of off Guehi and Andersen, but how the three will fit in the starting lineup is a challenge for Vieira. Some fans are thinking that he’ll now switch to a back three with two wing-backs, but we’ll have to wait and see.

The player was excited to sign for the south London club saying: “I grew up watching the Premier League and grew up of course watching [Wilfried] Zaha, so it’ll be cool to spend some time on the field with them [the Palace players] and be a part of this historic club. I’m really excited for it.

“The kind of project I’ve seen [attracted me]. It’s a lot of young players but also young players who have a lot of fight. Palace is a club that seems like they’re always fighting.”

Chairman Steve Parish said: “Chris is a hugely talented young player, and he brings a lot of experience at a high level for his age, as well being an established International for the USA national side.

“I had the great pleasure of spending some time with him and his family yesterday and I know he will be a great fit for the club and I’m sure will become a firm fans’ favourite. Competition can only drive him and our squad on.”

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