Crystal Palace are pushing to wrap up a deal for Auxerre star Kevin Danois before the summer transfer window slams shut on Tuesday and talkSPORT understands the Eagles have the cash to make it happen.
Palace boss Pierre Sage is desperate to bolster his engine room, and 22-year-old Danois has emerged as the prime target at Selhurst Park. While an initial opening offer of £25m was rebuffed by the Ligue 1 outfit, sources indicate that Auxerre’s resolve will be severely tested if Palace return with an improved bid.
According to L’Équipe, Auxerre have set a firm €35m (around £30m) valuation on their academy graduate, who was recently handed the club captaincy. Nottingham Forest are also keeping tabs on the Situation, but Palace are currently leading the charge even as conflicting reports in France claim Danois is in no rush to force a move away from his boyhood club.
The Transfer Picture at Auxerre
Should Palace meet the asking price, it will trigger a major late-window domino effect for the French side:
- Midfield Replacement: Auxerre will be forced straight into the market for a direct Danois replacement before the 1st September deadline.
- Right-Back Priority: Ligue 1 outfit are already scrambling for defensive cover following a long-term injury to Ghanaian right-back Marvin Senaya.
- Flank Reinforcements: Auxerre are actively seeking a new left winger regardless of Danois’s immediate future.
War Chest Boosted by Outgoings
Palace’s pursuit of Danois is no shot in the dark. Having already seen a bid in excess of £35m knocked back by Monaco for Lamine Camara earlier this month, the South Londoners have clearly set aside serious money for a marquee midfielder.
That budget is set to expand further, with Sage confirming that forward Romain Esse is expected to be sold before the deadline.
While whispers linking Palace to Marseille midfielder Quinten Timber have surfaced as a potential backup plan, there is a growing belief in the game that the Timber links may simply be a strategic play to force Auxerre’s hand.
Money talks in the final days of the window. If Palace sporting director Matt Hobbs pushes the boat out closer to that £30m mark, Auxerre will find it almost impossible to say no. Expect this one to go right down to the wire on transfer deadline day.
