---
title: "Tottenham join Crystal Palace in race to sign defender"
canonical: "https://readcrystalpalace.com/2017/06/29/tottenham-join-crystal-palace-race-sign-defender/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ste Hoare"
section: "Crystal Palace News"
published: "2017-06-29T13:15:11Z"
modified: "2017-06-29T13:15:11Z"
---

# Tottenham join Crystal Palace in race to sign defender

Frank de Boer is interested in signing Ajax defender Joel Veltman, but he’ll face a battle with Tottenham to get the centre-back to Selhurst Park.

As reported by Matt Law of the [Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/06/28/crystal-palace-target-kenny-tete-ajax/), the 25-year-old is on Palace’s list of potential new centre-backs as they feel like they will be unable to get Mamadou Sakho from Liverpool with the Reds asking for around £30million for him.

Veltman is about to enter the final year of his contract with the Amsterdam-based side so Palace will hope to get him for a reduced fee.

![Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readcrystalpalace.com/readcrystalpalace/sites/17/2017/06/692258520.jpg)

Tottenham are also looking at Veltman as a backup option to Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen with current deputy Kevin Wimmer being linked with a move away.

However, Palace will hope that a better chance of regular first-team football could be enough to persuade the Dutch international to move to Selhurst Park rather than Whie Hart Lane/Wembley as in a World Cup year, he’ll need to be playing more often than not.