Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is certainly not the only manager in the Premier League who appears keen to work with players he knows and trusts.
While Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui add to the growing collection of former Ajax stalwarts at Old Trafford, is something similar happening at Crystal Palace?
Daichi Kamada was a member of that 2022 Europa League-winning Eintracht Frankfurt team, and he now reunites with Oliver Glasner at Selhurst Park. Former Die Adler team-mate Filip Kostic – now of Juventus – continues to be linked in the media.
HITC can also confirm that Maxence Lacroix – a player Glasner brought to Germany during his spell at VFL Wolfsburg – is an option to reinforce Crystal Palace’s backline at a time in which Marc Guehi’s future hangs in the balance and Joachim Andersen looks set to depart.
Newcastle United remain frustrated in their long-running pursuit of Guehi. A fourth bid, in excess of £60 million, was rejected by Steve Parish on Friday.
Palace, in contrast, are not quite so determined to retain Andersen’s services.
Crystal Palace set to sell Joachim Andersen to Fulham
HITC understands that a £30 million deal is close to being finalised with Fulham.
One that will take the Denmark international back to a Cottagers side he represented during the 2020/21 season; Scott Parker somehow suffering relegation with talent such as Andersen, Aleksandr Mitrovic, Mario Lemina, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Atalanta’s Europa League hero Ademola Lookman at his disposal.
Simon Jordan, the former Crystal Palace chairman, backs Parish’s hardline stance when it comes to Guehi’s fate.
He is a little more nonplussed, however, by the apparent willingness to let his highly experienced, ball-playing central defensive partner go from South London back to the West.
“I can only assume that Glasner doesn’t fancy Andersen because that does not feel like much of a move for Palace,” Jordan tells talkSPORT (21 August, 10am), his beloved Eagles only banking a profit of £12 million for a very reliable performer who could still have a number of years left at the top level.
“They bought him for £20-odd million, they are selling him for £30 million. He’s been a good acquisition. A good player.
“Ultimately, at 28 years of age, players are going for a significant sum of money. I am assuming the manager doesn’t fancy him.”
Jordan also feels that a return to Craven Cottage is far from a step up for a player who has been linked with ambitious Newcastle in the recent past.
Oliver Glasner could bring Maxence Lacroix from Wolfsburg
“With due respect to Fulham, it’s a sideways move,” Jordan adds. “It’s not an upwards move for the player performance-wise or economically. It’s not as if he is being lured away to Arsenal or somewhere of that significance.
“To me, I remember having a player I bought. (Ex-Palace manager) Neil Warnock walked through the door and didn’t fancy him, and sold him. I thought he was a mainstay
“My reading of this is that Glasner is not that bothered about Andersen.”
Danny Murphy, the former Fulham captain, finds himself agreeing.
“It’s a strange one because he’s a hell of a good footballer,” muses the nine-cap England international. “With the ball, he’s one of the best. I can only see it as being his pace (being a reason why Palace are selling).
“But he’s not that slow!”
The explanation behind Andersen’s rather puzzling departure may lie with the aforementioned Lacroix.
According to The Guardian, Crystal Palace have submitted a £14 million bid for the towering Frenchman. Glasner’s old employers Wolfsburg are likely to be open to offers, given that Lacroix is due to become a free agent in the summer of 2025.
At 24, he is four years younger than Andersen too.
And if Glasner is keen to get his old Bundesliga band back together at Selhurst Park, the right-footed Lacroix is a player who could slot straight into the Crystal Palace team and adapt pretty quickly.
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