Director admits he can’t rule out Crystal Palace move for £20m ace with ‘great potential’
After hearing about Joachim Andersen’s impending £30 million move to Fulham, the reaction from former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan was one of bemusement.
Amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the future of Marc Guehi – Newcastle United still pushing despite failing with a fourth bid worth around £65 million – Jordan could not help but wonder why The Eagles would let the other half of their impressive centre-back partnership go down the road to Craven Cottage.
The answer, however, could lie in Crystal Palace’s own pursuit of centre-halves.
HITC understands that Maxence Lacroix is wanted to reunite with his former Wolfsburg boss Oliver Glasner.
According to The Guardian, Palace have now submitted a £14 million bid with Lacroix’s contract expiring next year.
Per Kicker, there is allegedly interest in another Germany-based stopper too, in Odilon Kossounou. A member of Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga-winning team under Xabi Alonso last term, Kossounou – like Lacroix – is considerably younger than Andersen.
Perhaps Palace felt that, after turning 28, an offer of £30 million was too much to turn down. Especially given that Lacroix is likely to be available for far less than that due to his contract situation at the Volkswagen Arena.
As for Kossounou, Bayer director Simon Rolfes insists that Leverkusen are planning to retain the Ivorian’s services. But should he ask to leave – he was left out of Alonso’s starting line-up 13 times last season – then things could change.
“In principle, we are also planning with Odilon,” Rolfes tells Sport of the 23-year-old Kossounou. “Because we saw last year that he is a player with a lot of quality and a lot of potential.
“(But sometimes) they have the feeling; ‘OK, how much playing time can I get? What are my prospects?’ And then sometimes they come up with the idea or consider moving again.
“I can’t say,” Rolfes adds when pressed further on a potential departure in the final week of the window. “But in principle he is actually a player we are planning to use.
“But of course it is possible that there will be one or two changes in our squad.”
Oliver Glasner set to sell Joachim Andersen to Fulham
Kossounou started his career in Sweden with Hammarby before moving on to Belgian outfit Club Brugge.
Capped 24 times by his country, the 6ft 3ins giant has spent the last three years with Bayer Leverkusen with his versatility – comfortable at centre-half and right-back – coming in handy.
Andersen, meanwhile, could be the latest big-money arrival during what could be a hectic next few days for Fulham.
The Cottagers confirmed the £25 million signing of former Burnley midfielder Sander Berge on Thursday morning. HITC have been told that a £12 million bid has also been put forward for Lyon winger Rayan Cherki.
“I can only assume that Glasner doesn’t fancy Andersen because that does not feel like much of a move for Palace,” Jordan tells talkSPORT (21 August, 10am).
“They bought him for £20-odd million, they are selling him for £30 million. He’s been a good acquisition. A good player.
“With due respect to Fulham, it’s a sideways move,” Jordan adds. “It’s not an upwards move for the player performance-wise or economically. It’s not as if he is being lured away to Arsenal or somewhere of that significance.
“My reading of this is that Glasner is not that bothered about Andersen.”
