Crystal Palace are currently planning to replace the ‘electrically fast’ Marc Guehi in the summer, and could do so for a relatively small fee.
Palace have made signing Guech’s replacement a top priority this summer.
Despite having four senior centre-backs named in Maxence Lacroix, Chris Richards, Jaydee Cambot and Chadi Riyad, Palace are seen as making it a priority to bring in a new centre-back in the summer after failing to replace Guehy in the January transfer window.
Earlier this season, manager Oliver Glasner warned the board that the team could struggle if they chose to sign Guehi, and his recent performances have been poor, with only a 3-2 defeat at home to Burnley and a 1-1 draw away at Zrinjski Mostar.
So it’s no wonder the Eagles are keen to sign a new centre-back in the crucial summer, given that Steve Parish and others also need to name Glasner’s successor.
According to a report from Axum (via Sports Witness), Crystal Palace are currently planning a summer move for Fenerbahce defender Jaeden Oosterwalde, who is also being targeted by Premier League rivals Newcastle United.
Palace have been interested in signing Oosterwalde for some time and were investigating him in the 2024 summer transfer window before his serious knee injury, but that speculation has died down.
Interestingly, the Dutch defender could become an affordable option for the Eagles, with the Turkish club likely to make a cash acquisition of just €20m (approximately £17m) this summer.
Oosterwalde could be an exciting replacement for Guehi
Scout Ben Mattinson praised the 24-year-old’s speed, but also suggested he could be a top centre-back in the future.
The Zwolle-born defender has been plagued by injuries, missing 42 games due to injury last season, but has been a mainstay for Fenerbahce this season, appearing in 37 games across all competitions.
No Fenerbahce player has played more minutes in the Turkish Super Lig than the centre-back, but this shows he has overcome his injury problems and ranks second in the team with an average of 56.2 accurate passes per 90.
Oosterwalde played in the Eredivisie and Serie B before moving to Turkey, and while his lack of major league experience may be a slight concern, there are signs that he could be an exciting replacement for Guehi.
