- Crystal Palace were interested in Agyemang
- Derby County striker suffered ACL injury
- Potential transfer could be off the cards
Crystal Palace reported transfer target Patrick Agyemang has suffered an ACL injury, which has ruled the Derby County striker out of the FIFA World Cup. The USMNT frontman sustained the injury in a 2-0 win over Stoke City on Monday (April 6th).
Agyemang has been on Palace’s radar amid a fine season at Pride Park. He has bagged 10 goals in 37 EFL Championship games.
The 25-year-old was set to be part of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for the World Cup on home soil. But he has cruelly lost his chance to represent his country on the biggest stage in world football.
Agyemang Agony
An announcement from Derby came on Tuesday, confirming that Agyemang had suffered an ACL injury. They wrote on their website:
“The club can confirm Patrick Agyemang suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury during the first half of the Sky Bet Championship fixture against Stoke City… As a result of this injury, Patrick will unfortunately miss this summer’s FIFA World Cup. At this stage it would be wrong to put a timeline on his recovery.”
Agyemang’s injury is a massive blow for Derby, who sit eighth in the Championship. But it might also prevent Palace from pursuing his signature this summer.
Reports claim that the Eagles are admirers of the American and had looked to beat Leeds United to the forward. A £20m fee is believed to be the player’s value, but it seems unlikely the club will press on, given his injury.
Agyemang Could Have Replaced Mateta
When reports surfaced of Palace’s interest in Agyemang, the expectation was that he could be Jean-Philippe Mateta’s replacement. The French striker is expected to leave Selhurst Park this summer.
Mateta missed out on a move to AC Milan in January after failing a medical ahead of a proposed £30m switch. He instead returned to South London and has since been in action after recovering from a knee injury.
The latest on the 28-year-old’s future is that Palace intend to sell him in the summer. His contract expires next year and it appears the club don’t want to lose him on a free.
Steve Parish’s transfer chiefs are set for a busy summer transfer window, but a new striker might not be the priority. Midfield is the main area of the squad that will need addressing, as Daichi Kamada is leaving and Adam Wharton remains linked to a big-money transfer.
