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Crystal Palace are believed to be monitoring the situation of a versatile defensive midfielder with a £16.5m price tag, according to a new transfer report.
Glasner battling to save Crystal Palace job
It’s fair to say that life at Selhurst Park is not going too positively for Oliver Glasner and his players currently, with the Eagles suffering a dire start to the new Premier League season.
Just three points have been picked up from eight league matches, with Monday’s 1-0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest further cranking up the pressure on manager Glasner. The Austrian’s stock has fallen significantly, having impressed so much when he first took over earlier this year, and improved results and performances are required immediately, starting at home to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.
In terms of possible replacements for the current Palace boss, David Moyes has been linked with the job, having been out of work since leaving West Ham at the end of last season. It has even been claimed that he would be open to a move to Selhurst Park, should the chance arise.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate has also emerged as a reported target for the Eagles, although he has made it clear that he is keen on a break after his excursions with the England team over the past eight years.
Crystal Palace eyeing move for £16.5m player
According to Haber 61 [via Sport Witness], Crystal Palace are monitoring Trabzonspor defender Batista Mendy, with Nottingham Forest also emerging as potential suitors.
The Turkish club would be willing to listen to £16.5m offers for the 24-year-old, but a move wouldn’t be able to happen until next summer, rather than the January transfer window. No bids have been made yet, however, but there is also interest from Italian, French and Russian clubs.
Mendy stands out as an astute option for Palace next year, not least because his versatility allows him to excel as both a centre-back and a midfielder. This season, the Frenchman has been primarily used as a central defender, averaging 1.8 clearances per game in the Turkish Super Lig, starting seven matches in the competition and also appearing once as a substitute.
Mendy has also clearly been a big talent since his teenage years, considering he has been capped by France across four different youth age groups, winning a combined 24 caps in the process.
Palace’s squad has clearly been hurt by the exits of some key players this summer, not least Joachim Andersen and Michael Olise, and bringing in Mendy could help fill the void left by the former, who has been such a big miss since opting to join Fulham permanently.
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At 24, the Trabzonspor man is still a relatively young player, too, so Glasner or whoever else is in charge would be bringing in a long-term acquisition with plenty of potential.
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