Crystal Palace are in talks to reunite Oliver Glasner with his former Eintracht Frankfurt star Daichi Kamada with the out-of-contract Lazio midfielder keen on a move to the Premier League.
HITC understands that a Crystal Palace side who have enjoyed a positive start to the summer transfer window have now entered discussions over a signing that could help offset concerns over the futures of Ebere Eze and Michael Olise.
The Eagles are already on the verge of bringing in Real Betis’ one-time Barcelona youngster Chadi Riad for £12.8 million, and are reportedly closing in on Sunderland starlet Jobe Bellingham too.
HITC can now reveal that discussions are being held with Daichi Kamada, the stylish Japan international who looks likely to leave Serie A giants Lazio after they failed to agree terms on a new contract.
Crystal Palace in talks to sign Lazio’s Daichi Kamada
Kamada wants to make the move to England. And the chance to work again with Glasner – the coach who got the best out of the 27-year-old during his time in Germany – is understood to appeal to him.
Kamada, capped 31 times by his country, was part of the Eintracht Frankfurt team which lifted the Europa League trophy alongside Glasner in 2022. The elegant attacking midfielder also enjoyed the most prolific season of his career under the man who replaced Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.
Kamada netted 16 times in his final Frankfurt campaign before joining Lazio on a short-term deal. Despite fizzing home a brilliant long-range strike against Scudetto winners Inter Milan recently, things haven’t really worked out for Kamada in Italy, an early parting of the ways now appearing likely.
Despite a difficult spell in Rome, Kamada would still be a real coup for a club who – despite Glasner’s remarkable impact – finished in mid-table last season. The 2018 DFB Pokal winner had some of Europe’s biggest clubs chasing him not so long ago, including Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
“Many clubs had gone for him,” Gianluca Di Carlo, Kamada’s agent, told Sport Italia. “Milan, Liverpool, Benfica, Real Sociedad (were all interested).”
Liverpool wanted Japan international in 2023
Kamada could ease the creative burden on Eze, while his eye for goal may offset the potential loss of the much-admired Olise.
The Palace target has a fine track record against English teams, meanwhile. He scored twice in a 2-1 win for Frankfurt away at Arsenal in the Europa League and also found the net against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League.
“I like the way he thinks. I like the way he plays,” Arsenal legend Thierry Henry told CBS back in 2022. “Not really strong, he doesn’t jump too high and he’s not really fast. But what he does very well is that he always appears in the box.
“He can’t run past people. So what he does is he lays it off, then make sure he follows and makes it inside the box. He stays alive every single time. I really like Kamada. He’s a very good player. He will find a way to score.”
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