Crystal Palace: £34m star could now be ‘out of reach’ at Selhurst Park

HIGHLIGHTS

Crystal Palace news – Hugo Ekitike

Ekitike appeared to be on his way out of PSG during the summer transfer window. According to French journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Ekitike was among a host of senior players that PSG would allow to depart. However, Ekitike failed to secure a move away from the club, despite plenty of interest from the Premier League. As per journalist Sami Mokbel, Palace were working on a deal to sign the young forward during the summer transfer window, but a move failed to materialise. It’s understood that Ekitike could have been available for £34m, which may have put off some potential suitors.

It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see clubs coming in for Ekitike in January, as he’s struggling for game time at PSG so far this season. The 21-year-old has played just nine minutes of Ligue 1 football, as per FBref. Palace eventually didn’t sign a striker, and journalist Jones previously told GIVEMESPORT that internally, the Eagles feel they are in a good place with their current options. Ekitike is far from the finished article at his age, but he certainly would have offered Palace a different dynamic in attack.

If Ekitike is available once again in the winter window, which appears likely considering his lack of minutes, then it could be a smart move for Palace to attempt to finalise a deal. However, it certainly won’t be easy, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if other clubs entered the race. The youngster has shown plenty of promise at his age, and there’s a reason a European giant in PSG opted to sign him initially.

Will Ekitike consider Crystal Palace to be below him? – Dean Jones

After making the move to one of the most high profile clubs in the world, taking a step down to a mid-table Premier League side might not be of interest to Ekitike. However, the 21-year-old is struggling to feature for the French club, and maybe signing for a club like Palace is exactly what he needs to kickstart his career.

Jones has suggested that Palace could feel that a player of Ekitike’s calibre might be out of reach for the capital club. However, the journalist adds that it could be a fantastic platform for him to elevate his career by moving to the Premier League. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said…

“Ekitike is definitely going to continue to be a name that is talked about for another transfer window. It seems like that’s just his job these days, to be talked about as a transfer rumour. Eventually, he will leave. I just wonder if he will be out of reach for a club of Crystal Palace’s size, or whether he would be willing to take an opportunity like that. He’s obviously linked with such big clubs and he’s used to being talked about as an emerging superstar, so will he consider Crystal Palace to be below him? That will be interesting. But, he could also see it as a fantastic platform to elevate himself in a league like the Premier League.”

Do Crystal Palace have a chance of signing Ekitike?

HLTCO told GIVEMESPORT earlier in the year that Palace’s model is to sign young players from abroad on long contracts before looking to make a huge profit on them. With Ekitike’s career at a bit of a standstill at PSG, it could be an excellent opportunity to move to Palace and treat them as a stepping stone. If the young forward excels in England’s top flight, then the Eagles won’t stand in his way if an offer from a bigger club arrives on the table.

This could give Palace a huge advantage in the race to secure his signature. Not only that, Roy Hodgson is likely to be able to offer him regular minutes to be able to prove himself. If Ekitike is looking to join a club competing for Champions League places, then he could be in a similar situation to the one he’s in at PSG.