Luke Southwood looks set to leave Championship side Reading and he could get a Premier League chance with Crystal Palace.
With Steve Mandanda returning to Marseille exactly a year after joining Crystal Palace, a new goalkeeper will be high on Frank De Boer’s list of priorities.
Although 20-year-old shot-stopper Luke Southwood would certainly be one for the future. The Mirror claims that Palace are interested in signing the youngster after he turned down a contract offer from Championship club Reading.
New Palace boss Frank De Boer
Therefore, Southwood’s summer could be about to get even more exciting. He was part of the England squad that won the Under-20 World Cup in South Korea last month, though it was his fellow shot-stopper Freddie Woodman that hogged the headlines, saving a penalty in the final against Venezuela.
However, the Oxford-born ‘keeper is yet to make his debut at senior level and, despite doubts surrounding the future of Reading number one Ali Al-Habsi, it appears that Southwood believes he would have a better chance to make an impression elsewhere.
And this could take him to Selhurst Park, with Palace keen on landing him this summer. The report adds that Palace would be forced to pay a compensation fee after he rejected the chance to stay at the Madejski Stadium.
Though it would be no surprise if De Boer was to add another, more senior goalkeeper to his squad in the coming weeks. As it stands, the often unconvincing Wayne Hennessey is likely to begin the season as Palace’s first choice.
Southwood will hope to challenge Hennessey at Palace
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