Crystal Palace and West Ham United are both keen on signing LOSC Lille defensive midfielder Ngal’ayel Mukau.
Ngal’ayel Mukau’s sensational rise at LOSC Lille has caught the attention of quite a few top clubs from across Europe. According to a report from AfricaFoot, Crystal Palace and West Ham United are two English outfits that are interested in the African midfield sensation and they could soon launch an assault on the French club to sign him.
Mukau joined the KV Mechelen setup as a nine-year-old. While he did switch to Zulte-Waregem in the summer of 2018, he returned to his childhood club the following year to continue his training. He broke into their first team in the summer of 2023.
An impressive debut campaign with their first team was enough to convince Lille to trigger his release clause and sign him before the start of the ongoing season. The 20-year-old defensive midfielder has hardly had any difficulty in adjusting to life in France.
While he started with their reserve team, only a single appearance for them got him promoted to the senior side. He has already featured in seven Ligue 1 games for them and his performances in the Champions League are the ones that have attracted a significant amount of interest.
Mukau helped his team secure all three points against Bologna with a brace. While he prefers playing as a six, he can feature anywhere in the centre of the park. In the game against the Italian outfit, he started in a number ten role and showcased his creative abilities.
Mukau could be heading to the Premier League
His versatility along with his huge potential have put him on the radar of Crystal Palace and West Ham United. Both English clubs are constantly looking at the French league for players who can help bolster their squad.
They want to add more quality to their midfield and consider Mukau an ideal fit for their plans going ahead. Of late, Palace have signed quite a few young stars and have given them the perfect conditions to continue their growth.
Meanwhile, the Hammers haven’t been at their best for a while now and they seek more quality in midfield as they look to bounce back. Mukau was valued at around €600,000 towards the end of 2023 and by the end of the year, his value could rise up to €8 to €10 million.
While Lille won’t want to lose out on him this early, a decent fee can surely help Palace and West Ham prise him away from France.