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Crystal Palace vulnerable to swap deal amid 'serious interest' in versatile midfielder

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Crystal Palace could be talked into a swap deal according to one report.

Crystal Palace could be about to pave the way for a swap deal next summer. The Eagles have come accustomed to losing some of their best players over recent years, be it Wilfried Zaha - on two occasions - or more recently Michael Olise.

Palace have developed players well over the years, bringing in big fees along the way, with Olise going for £50million and Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the same amount. A number of other players will also be of interest ahead of next summer, with Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton the most likely to be pursued by other clubs.

In the case of Wharton, Palace are set to make a big profit when the midfielder does depart. Wharton joined Palace for £18million - although the deal could rise to £22million - from Blackburn Rovers, and he is now likely worth £35million to £40million. Manchester City are said to be interested in a deal for Wharton, needing better back-up for Rodri, as has been seen this season with the Spaniard’s absence through injury.

City signed Kalvin Phillips for that purpose, but the England international struggled to compete for even a back-up role, particularly with the emergence of Rico Lewis. Palace would likely play hardball over any Wharton fee, especially given the recency of his arrival, but there could be a swap deal on the cards.

That’s because the Express claim Palace hold a strong interest in versatile City star James McAtee, who has impressed in two separate loan spells with Sheffield United, but he has rarely featured for City, making only six league appearances.

Despite City not using McAtee, they are said to value the 22-year-old at £25million, which could put a player-plus-cash deal on the table, according to the same report. In reality, those deals very rarely happen, but clubs are now doing separate deals that are pre-agreed like swap deals to ensure they get maximum benefit from transfers as far as Profit and Sustainability rules go.

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