Borussia Dortmund defender Nevan Subotic is reportedly poised to join Saint-Etienne this January.
The Bundesliga giants feel that they have a surplus of centre-backs after signing Manuel Akanji from FC Basel.
One club who are less blessed with defensive options are Crystal Palace, with long-term injuries to Mamadou Sakho and Scott Dann leaving Roy Hodgson searching for cover during the Janaury transfer window.
While Spain international Bartra might be out of Palace’s reach, Subotic may have been a realistic target for the Eagles had they acted fast enough, but Bild understands that the 29-year-old has agreed to join Saint-Etienne.
The Jurgen Klopp favourite, signed by the Liverpool manager for Mainz 05 and Dortmund, would have brought with him a wealth of experience that would have lended itself nicely to Palace’s fight against relegation.
According to ESPN, Subotic is out of contract at the Westfalenstadion at the end of this season and, with Dortmund wanting to sell, Palace should have been able to negotiate a bargain deal for the Serbia international.
Subotic has made 263 appearances for Dortmund and although he has slipped down the pecking order in recent seasons, he was a regular on loan at Cologne in the second half of last campaign, helping them qualify for Europe.
He could have been just as successful a short-term option for Palace, but it appears as though Hodgson has his eyes elsewhere with The Sun reporting that a £16m offer has been lodged for Lille defender Ibrahim Amadou.
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