Crystal Palace have set their sights on AJ Auxerre midfielder Kévin Danois as the South London club press ahead with their late summer recruitment drive.
According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, the Eagles hold a concrete interest in the 22-year-old French Under-21 international. Palace have already opened initial discussions with the Ligue 1 outfit, submitting a potential package structured around an initial €30 million (£25.7m) fee, excluding performance-related add-ons.
A graduate of Auxerre’s famed academy system, the midfielder made his senior professional debut in January 2023 before helping the Burgundian side secure promotion back to the French top flight eighteen months later. He subsequently established himself as an indispensable presence in the Auxerre engine room throughout the 2025–26 campaign, starting 32 of his 33 league appearances while contributing three goals and an assist.
Danois, who remains under contract at the Stade Abbé-Deschamps until June 2029, has attracted interest from several high-profile suitors across Europe following his breakout campaign in Ligue 1.
However, Palace are pushing to win the race for his signature as they look to bolster their central midfield options.
Managing the new arrivals
Addressing the media on Thursday afternoon ahead of Palace’s opening Premier League clash away to Everton, the 47-year-old French manager provided a clear update on squad assembly following a busy summer in the transfer market.
Having replaced Oliver Glasner in the Selhurst Park dugout, the former Lyon head coach reflected positively on how the club’s six summer recruits have settled into training alongside the established group.
At the moment, they discover how we play and they take a good position in that. We can see what we saw during the videos and the matches we saw about them. We are happy they’re here to integrate them in the team and to make them Crystal Palace players now.”
Strategic restraint in the final stretch of the window
Despite already integrating six new faces into the first-team environment, the Eagles head coach confirmed that recruitment operations remain active behind the scenes. However, the Frenchman emphasised that Palace will prioritise tactical fit over quick fixes during the final days of the window.
Yeah. (I expect) maybe one or two more, and like I said, on Monday, we have time. We don’t want to take a player who is not for us. We just want to take the good player for us. That’s why it’s not about one or two days, because we have to work with these guys during all the season, and, sometimes it’s better to wait than to take the first to come.”
The search for central defensive leadership
Reinforcing the backline remains the primary objective for the Palace hierarchy before the window closes. The manager made no secret of his desire to secure an experienced centre-back capable of orchestrating the defence and providing immediate authority.
“First of all, yeah, we need a player in this department (centre-back), a player with a lot of games if possible in Premier League because we need players, but we need a leader, and that’s why we need to wait a little bit to find a good one.”
When questioned on widespread reports linking Chelsea defender Axel Disasi with a prospective loan switch to South London, the French coach opted to maintain professional distance, acknowledging the speculation without offering explicit confirmation.
“He’s a player from Chelsea. It’s difficult for me to speak about a player of another club, but I hear the same noise as you.”
There is a distinct sense of discipline running through Palace’s transfer strategy this summer. While the pursuit of talent like Danois highlights a clear commitment to elite technical profiles, the refusal to rush late defensive business shows an elite level of calm.
Premier League campaigns are long, grueling endeavors where quick fixes rarely endure. By holding out for proven leadership at the back while systematically upgrading the squad’s engine room, Palace are laying deliberate, calculated foundations for the long haul.
