For Crystal Palace, this Friday has been all about centre-halves.
Some going, some potentially staying, and others possibly arriving.
In terms of the departures, Crystal Palace coach Oliver Glasner confirmed during his pre-West Ham United press conference that a £30 million deal that will take Joachim Andersen back to Fulham is in the ‘final’ stages of being agreed.
Andersen, alongside the Leicester City-bound Jordan Ayew, will be left out of The Eagles’ squad when West Ham come to town on Saturday afternoon.
As for Marc Guehi – Newcastle refusing to accept defeat after making four bids and creeping over the £60 million mark – Glasner insists that the England international will remain at his disposal unless he is told otherwise.
“I expect everyone to be a Crystal Palace player until someone tells me something different,” Glasner tells London News Online.
“In the end, it’s always (the player’s) decision. I expect everyone here. We now have 18 outfield players available.”
Crystal Palace will sell Joachim Andersen to Fulham
Even if Guehi stays, the sale of Andersen leaves Crystal Palace short of depth at the back. Especially on the right-hand side.
Their pursuit of a replacement, at least, is already well underway. The Guardian say that Palace have submitted a £14 million bid for Wolfsburg stopper Maxence Lacroix.
The French giant was brought to Germany by Glasner himself back in 2021. And a reunion is very much on the cards, new Wolfsburg boss Ralph Hasenhuttl’s confidence seemingly misplaced with Lacroix reluctant to extend a contract which expires in less than 12 months’ time.
“I can’t promise that (Lacroix will stay) will happen, but I can’t do that with any player,” Wolfsburg director Peter Christiansen tells Kicker.
“The situation is not ideal. His contract expires in ten months. And we, at the club, also have a responsibility. If there are offers, we have to look at them.”
“In football, it is always important that all parameters are met. The right timing, the right transfer and also the right replacement for us.”
Wolfsburg are in a largely similar boat to Crystal Palace themselves. Willing to sell, but also in need of a successor and fighting against time with the window closing in just a weeks’ time.
While Wolfsburg’s power is weakened by Lacroix’s contract situation, there are no such concerns for Benfica regarding another of Palace’s potential Andersen successors.
Benfica’s Tomas Araujo and Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix eyed
Portuguese publication Record claim that Benfica have rejected a £25 million offer from South London. Araujo, meanwhile, has four years left on his own contract, not to mention a 100 million euro release clause.
Benfica also do not have a habit of letting key players go without first being offered colossal fees.
And if Hasenhuttl felt like a man speaking more in hope than expectation when saying that he felt Lacroux would stay put, there was a steely and justifiable confidence in Roger Schmidt’s tone.
“Tomas Araujo will stay,” the Benfica coach tells A Bola. “He is an important player for us and it is important for him to be playing for Benfica.
“He did very well last season but, of course, we are looking at this season in such a way that he can also achieve a new status in the team. He had a great pre-season and also the beginning of the season. He was always in the starting XI and, in my opinion, he is a very talented player.
“For him now, it is very important to play for Benfica and not leave before he starts playing. That is clear.”
Bayer Leverkusen’s Odilon Kossounou has also been linked.
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