Crystal Palace are in talks over a deal that would see Juventus defender Radu Dragusin move to the Premier League on a free transfer, as reported by The Standard.
A few months ago, Palace owner Steve Parish confirmed what everyone was thinking.
“It’s no secret – we’ve got work to do,” he said.
“There’s a time limit on footballers in terms of physical ability to perform. So we’re acutely aware we’ve got to make smart decisions.”
Put simply, Crystal Palace are looking to drive down the average age of one of the oldest squads in the division.
The transition got under way last year when Nathan Ferguson and Ebere Eze arrived from the Championship. 23-year-old Jean-Philippe Mateta then joined from Mainz during the January window.
And, with 30-something veterans such as Scott Dann, Christian Benteke, Mamadou Sakho, James McCarthy and Patrick van Aanholt due to become free agents in July – not to mention manager Roy Hodgson – Crystal Palace could resemble a different side when 2021/22 kicks off.
If a deal can be agreed, Romania U21 international Dragusin may be partnering Gary Cahill at the heart of the back line in August.
Dragusin has only four months left on his Juventus contract and, according to The Standard, has entered talks over a summer move to Selhurst Park.
Andrea Pirlo is a big fan of the 19-year-old, describing him as a “very strong defender”, while rewarding his progress with Serie A and Champions League debuts.
But, with Matthijs de Ligt, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Merih Demiral ahead of him in the pecking order, Dragusin knows he may have to take a step back to boost his own prospects (Gazzetta).
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