Crystal Palace have seen a record-breaking bid rejected by Club Brugge for defender Joel Ordonez, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.
The Eagles have had an eventful January transfer window after they saw captain Marc Guehi depart for Manchester City, while manager Oliver Glasner confirmed he would be departing at the end of the season, and star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is on the verge of a move to AC Milan.
But after bringing in Brennan Johnson and Evann Guessand already during this window, and agreeing a deal for Jorgen Strand Larsen, Palace have made a move to replace their captain with one of the brightest young talents in Europe.
Crystal Palace Bid for Ordonez Rejected
Joel Ordonez
Ordonez, who has been described as 'phenomenal', has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League since last summer, but it's Palace who have firmed up their interest with a formal offer.
According to the report, the Selhurst Park club tabled an offer which would have been the biggest sale in Belgian Jupiler Pro League history, but Club Brugge rejected the bid as they are determined to keep hold of the 21-year-old sensation.
Ordonez would likely be brought in as a long-term replacement for Guehi, with Palace keen to add to their defensive options for the second half of the season as they look to avoid entering a relegation scrap, while they also want to compete in the Conference League after qualifying for the knockout stages.
Glasner currently has Maxence Lacroix, Chris Richards, Jaydee Canvot, and Chadi Riad as natural centre-back options, while Jefferson Lerma has also played there regularly in the Austrian's system. A top-level replacement for the ex-captain would be ideal, but it won't be Ordonez unless there's a shock twist on deadline day.
Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta with the match ball after scoring a hat-trick vs Bournemouth Related
Twist Emerges in AC Milan Move to Sign Crystal Palace Star Jean-Philippe Mateta
Jean-Philippe Mateta looked set to be departing.