Crystal Palace are in the market for a second centre-back but now one potential option has rejected a Selhurst Park move.
After signing Chadi Riad to bolster the centre-back ranks at Crystal Palace, it seems Dougie Freedman isn’t done and wants to reinforce further.
This may hinge on the future of Marc Guehi but with a three-at-the-back formation just four good options aren’t enough as we saw under Glasner already thanks to injuries Jefferson Lerma and Nathaniel Clyne ended up at centre-back.
Already interest in Ronnie Edwards seems to have disappeared and now Palace have seemingly been rejected the chance to sign a player from Nottingham Forest.
Here’s everything we know.
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Moussa Niakhate rejects Crystal Palace move
Palace’s attempts to strengthen at centre-back have taken a blow with Nottingham Forest’s Moussa Niakhate opting for a move to Lyon instead of Selhurst Park.
This comes according to a report by Foot Mercato in France which reports that Lyon has won the race to sign Niakhate from Forest ahead of his contract expiring in 2025.
Niakhate will reportedly cost John Textor’s Lyon £12.7m this summer and this will in turn allow Forest to record the sale in their books ahead of the PSR deadline on June 30th.
Before he chose Lyon, Palace were also keen as were Lille. But the fact Textor has taken a Palace target surely won’t be helping relations between the board members at Selhurst Park.
Would Niakhate have been a good signing?
While Forest’s Niakhate isn’t the glamourous name many would want with Maxence Lacroix for example far more desired, he’d have been a very solid pick-up from Palace.
Niakhate thrives in the tackling department and actually completes more than double the amount (2.59 per 90 as per FBRef) that Guehi does for Palace (1.25 per 90 as per FBRef).
A player with Premier League experience and in a relatively poor Forest side he did very well to help keep them in the Premier League.
Lyon have got a good defender, but now it’s time for Palace to go and find a better one.
