Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma is rumored to be set to leave the club this month.
The player’s contract expires in the summer of 2026, but journalist Dominik Schneider claims Crystal Palace do not want to extend his contract. It appears that the club is prepared to sanction the player’s departure, and that a Turkish club is interested in signing him.
It makes sense for him to move on and sort out his long-term future. Palace may also prefer to sell him in January to avoid losing him on a free transfer in the summer. It remains to be seen whether they can put together a profitable deal.
Lerma is not a central player for Crystal Palace and is unlikely to get regular minutes in the second half of the season. The midfielder will be keen to move on. He is looking for a new challenge and moving to Türkiye could be interesting for him.
Besiktas and Galatasaray are both interested in the player (h/t SportWitness). Both clubs could offer him the opportunity to compete regularly and fight for trophies. It will be interesting to see if he is ready to move to Türkiye this month.
If Crystal Palace are planning to sell him, they will aim to recoup a fair amount from his departure. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop.
Crystal Palace have not been at their best in recent weeks and will be desperate to bounce back strongly. It remains to be seen whether they are ready to weaken the team in January. If they decide to sell the midfielder, they first need to find a suitable replacement for him.
