Following Trevoh Chalobah’s return to Chelsea, Crystal Palace are now reportedly plotting a complicated deal to sign a replacement before the end of the January transfer window.
Crystal Palace transfer news
The Eagles have rediscovered their best form under Oliver Glasner in recent weeks, but have undoubtedly been dealt a blow by Chelsea’s decision to recall Chalobah. Leaving them short on central defenders, those at Selhurst Park must turn towards the transfer window where they could find their second reinforcement after already welcoming Romain Esse earlier this month.
The rumours have certainly been coming thick and fast as the window comes to a close too, with names such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain threatening to steal the headlines as he potentially seeks a return to the Premier League.
Alongside Esse, the former Liverpool man would undoubtedly add an extra spark to Glasner’s attack behind the clinical Jean-Philippe Mateta. Whether the Eagles swoop in and win the race to sign the Champions League winner remains to be seen, however.
First and foremost, the priority in South London may well be the welcome a central defender to replace Chalobah in the coming days.
According to BBC Sport’s Alex Howell, Crystal Palace are now plotting a deal to sign Tiago Djalo before Monday’s deadline, but could face a complicated move given that Juventus would need to recall their defender from his loan spell at Porto.
The 24-year-old has already enjoyed quite the journey around European football, swapping Sporting Club’s youth side for AC Milan’s before joining LOSC Lille and earning a move to Juventus. Now, following a mixed spell at Porto, Djalo could be on his way to Crystal Palace and the Premier League.
There’s certainly a lot of work to be done to complete any potential deal though and there’s no denying that all parties face a race against what is a rapidly ticking clock.
“Amazing” Djalo can replace Chalobah
A player who should only just be entering his peak years at 24 years old, Djalo has already gained some impressive experience around Europe’s top leagues – experience that Palace could now benefit from. Replacing Chalobah this late on will, of course, be no easy task either which makes their chase to sign the Juventus defender all the more worthwhile.
Throughout his rise, Djalo has earned plenty of praise from the likes of football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who described the central defender’s performance against Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain as “amazing” as a young talent.
Three years on from that performance, Djalo’s rise has stalled somewhat after a frustrating loan spell at Porto which could yet see Palace play the role of heroes and come swooping in to revive the central defender.