Crystal Palace are a genuine contender to snap up a four-time Premier League winner who Manchester City will give serious consideration to selling next summer, TEAMtalk can reveal.
Palace will have a glaring hole in their starting eleven that must be filled next summer. Marc Guehi – the club’s captain – will leave the Eagles when his contract expires at season’s end.
Manager Oliver Glasner has already confirmed Guehi is moving on, with Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, to name just three, chasing his signature.
A direct replacement and a high calibre one at that will need to be signed to prevent such a drastic drop-off.
We can now reveal Crystal Palace are retaining an interest in Nathan Ake as a potential option for next summer.
The Eagles began to consider the 30-year-old Dutch international last summer as they prepared for the exit of Guehi and sources indicate that he does remain a transfer candidate moving forward.
Guehi will finally be leaving them at the second time of asking and as such, the club are making sure they are well prepared for what comes next.
Man City are also beginning to consider new centre-back options of their own, sources say – which could open the door for an Ake exit.
The veteran centre-back has only made one Premier League start this season and will have one year remaining on his contract by the time we get to the summer transfer window.
Accordingly, City must weigh up whether to cash in while they still can and sources tell us a sale is a distinct possibility.
Biggest transfer stories today – Vinicius out, Haaland in / Rafael Leao to Arsenal?
In other news, Real Madrid will target a potentially world record-breaking move for Erling Haaland in 2026 if Vinicius Jr is sold.
The Brazilian winger has fallen foul of new manager Xabi Alonso and is at an impasse with the club in talks over a contract extension.
Elsewhere, TEAMtalk can reveal AC Milan winger, Rafael Leao, is ‘very keen’ on securing a blockbuster transfer to the Premier League.
Arsenal are understood to view the Portugal international as an ideal upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli.