One player has now revealed that he actually spoke to Crystal Palace about a move to Selhurst Park in January.
Dougie Freedman oversaw some fantastic business last winter, bringing Adam Wharton and Daniel Munoz to SE25 without surpassing the £30m mark – the latter is arguably worth that amount alone after a stunning summer at the Copa America.
However, there was another player Crystal Palace tried to sign – and eventually landed despite failing to agree a deal in January…
Daichi Kamada opens up on Crystal Palace talks
Daichi Kamada has now revealed that he actually first spoke to Crystal Palace in January – before his move to Selhurst Park finally went through in July.
The Japan international is quoted by La Lazio Siamo Noi as saying: “I chose Palace because I had already been contacted in the winter, given that when Maurizio Sarri was at Lazio I never played. While I was thinking about what to do, Oliver Glasner sent me a message and said he wanted me as a signing for the summer.
“In the end I was undecided whether to stay at Lazio or go to Crystal Palace, but I told myself that my dream was to one day play in the Premier League.
“I spoke a lot with Glasner. I think he is a great manager and he wanted me at all costs even when I thought I would stay at Lazio. In the end, he prevailed. I’ve been following Palace since Glasner has been there, I’ve seen all the games. We have a physical team, with an important coach who gives importance to both the defensive and offensive part. We have talented players and we can do well.”
Clearly, Kamada has done his homework on Crystal Palace, which is fantastic to hear.
The 27-year-old has never played in England before, so it was important for him to familiarise himself with the background of his new club early on, something he has clearly done quite quickly.
Free transfer could be an early shout for signing of the summer
Kamada has put himself in a position to impress quickly at Crystal Palace, while the fact he is also familiar with Glasner and the Austrian’s tactics means he could assert himself rapidly in south London.
Should that turn out to be the case, and the Japanese maestro has a strong start to the season, we could even see him be dubbed as an early contender for signing of the summer in the media.
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Whatever happens, the fact Glasner and Freedman managed to sign Kamada for free is quite a coup, and Crystal Palace fans should be very excited by what he can bring to Selhurst Park.
