Guehi could be on the moveplaceholder image
Guehi could be on the move | AFP via Getty Images
Crystal Palace are said to be eyeing a deal for a new striker this summer.
Crystal Palace face an interesting summer as they look to build on the success of last season. The Eagles will want to take another step towards finishing in and around the European spots, but they will also have to balance their first-ever European campaign this season and build a squad that has enough depth to cope with the workload.
Oliver Glasner is likely to be handed a number of new signings to help aid that mission, but perhaps the bigger task will be keeping hold of existing talent. Marc Guehi could well be on the move, now in the last year of his contract, while Eberechi Eze is also likely to attract attention aplenty.
As far as Guehi goes, The Sun have reported that Liverpool are now the most likely club to sign him, reportedly pushing for a deal after getting some of their early business done. Reports have suggested that Guehi will be sold for between £45million and £50million, which is a big drop-off from the £75million demanded last summer when the defender was under two years of contract. It’s also worth noting that Chelsea will receive 20% of that money.
But after winning an FA Cup and qualifying for Europe with Guehi’s help, Palace will not be too bothered about the drop off in price. If Palace do sell Guehi, they will need to find a replacement centre-back, but they may also be planning to spend their money on a striker.
According to Africa Foot, Stade de Reims’ Oumar Diakité is of serious interest this summer. Reims were relegated in the season just gone, and that provides Palace with an opportunity to snatch away one of their best talents. It’s reported that palace have offered around £8.5million to get the deal done, and they are said to have offered the player a five-year deal worth around £3million per year.
The 21-year-old is reportedly keen on a move to Palace, but Reims are said to be taking a patient approach to the sale, willing to wait for a better offer this summer. With the Guehi money, Palace could push on and get the deal done at a higher price should the defender’s sale go through.
Diakite wasn’t particularly productive last season, scoring only four goals for a struggling Reims side, so Palace will also want to be cautious with their investment.
Then again, Diakite would likely be a signing for the future and a depth signing, given Jean-Philippe Mateta is the clear starter up top, while Eddie Nketiah is the natural competition for the Frenchman. Diakite would be behind both of those players if he was kept around, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was signed and loaned out, although another striker may well be on the cards this summer.
The main priority for Palace will be the signing of another starting centre-back to replace Guehi, and they did shop well at the position last summer, signing Maxence Lacroix to replace Joachim Andersen.
Continue Reading