The internet awash with news, frantic last minute-deals, and hasty flights for eager players; the so-called ‘Deadline Day 2’ is never without chaos. As the transfer deadline loomed large over Europe, one deal that had Palace fans interested was the speculation surrounding one Eagle – Jairo Riedewald.
The wantaway defensive midfielder, most recently used as a left-back against Colchester in the Carabao Cup between the two sides, has fallen out of favour. With the current management structure, Jairo has made far fewer appearances than expected.
Since the sacking of Dutchman Frank de Boer, the former Ajax starlet has not featured in a Premier League clash since last season, mostly making appearances in non-essential cup ties and U23 games. His initial signing for £9 million largely appears to speak for itself; he was supposed to be destined for stardom at Palace, as evidenced by de Boer’s inclusion towards the start of the 2017/18 season.
Newly promoted Bundesliga side Paderborn offered a glimmer of hope for the rekindling of Riedewald’s career; a proposed loan move was revealed by Neue Westfälische, with Paderborn’s sporting director Martin Przondziono falling just short of securing a deal.
“Sometimes it should not be. We would have liked to, but we did not have to”, said Przondziono to the German publication. Przondziono also claimed there had been advanced talks with Riedewald’s agent.
In the end, any transfers “had to fit with the finances”, and it is implied that the rise in wages on the club’s bill would have been too hefty. Thus, the deal was rendered unfeasible in the closing hours.
Read Crystal Palace’s verdict
When considering the likely-disproportionate level of wages to game time and performances, there is a certain logic to Paderborn’s approach. Riedewald posed a risk that was potentially too costly in wages for a midfielder, albeit a versatile one, that is still largely unproven in Europe’s top flights. Ultimately, it’s not hard to see why such a deal, coupled with timing pressures, fell through.
