Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in a transfer for Lens midfielder Cheick Doucore as Patrick Vieria prepares for a busy summer in SE25.
The Eagles still have four games left of their season but according to the Sun are ‘set to seal’ a £15million move for Doucoure when the summer transfer window opens. The 22-year-old has impressed in Ligue 1 this season and was reportedly a target for Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
Palace boss Vieira has also been eyeing up the midfielder though, with his side preparing for another busy summer of transfers to boost their hopes of climbing up the Premier League table. The Eagles spent nearly £80million on new recruits last year following Vieira’s appointment as manager, replacing Roy Hodgson after his four-year spell in south London came to an end.
READ MORE: Patrick Vieira tells Wilfried Zaha to chase Salah, Son and Ronaldo with Premier League goal tally
Doucoure has played 31 games for Lens so far this season and contributed to five goals in that time as the Blood and Gold sit eighth in Ligue 1 under the management of Franck Haise. His former team-mate Zakaria Diallo has said that Spurs were interested in Doucoure’s signature last summer, while he was also reportedly of interest to Villa too.
Palace are set to lose midfielder Conor Gallagher when he returns to parent club Chelsea at the end of the campaign while Palace’s other midfield options are entering the twilight of their careers. James McArthur (34) seems to have signed a new deal at the club to extend his stay, while Cheikhou Kouyate (32) is reportedly in talks to stay at Selhurst Park also.
Club captain Luka Milivojevic (31) has played a bit-part role in Vieira’s plans this season meanwhile, with Will Hughes (27) and Jeffrey Schlupp (29) the only midfielders under the age of 30 to have featured regularly this season aside from Gallagher. Ebere Eze’s return to full fitness spells good news for Vieira and Palace, though his role in the team is more focused on forward areas.
A move for 22-year-old Doucoure would suit Palace’s current transfer remit of singing young players whose value will increase while in SE25. Last summer’s incoming players all matched this model, with Michael Olise (20), Marc Guehi (21), Joachim Andersen (25) and Odsonne Edouard (24) all coming through the door before Derby County’s Luke Plange (19) was recruited in January.
