Hugo Larsson Crystal Palace talks

Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson could leave the Bundesliga before the conclusion of the summer transfer window. Sky Germany reports that the 22-year-old Swedish international is currently in London holding direct negotiations with two Premier League clubs. Crystal Palace are confirmed to be one of the interested parties, while the identity of the second English club remains unclear.

Frankfurt have granted Larsson permission to conduct the talks and reportedly seek approximately €25m (£21.4m) for the midfielder. The latest developments could finally bring an end to transfer speculation that has followed Larsson for well over a year.

Frankfurt Midfield Rebuild Opens Door for Departure

The Sweden international developed into one of the Bundesliga’s most highly-rated young central midfielders during his first two campaigns in Germany, earning a contract extension through 2029 in October 2024. His trajectory stalled somewhat last season amid both individual availability problems and Frankfurt’s wider struggles.

Frankfurt have since significantly reconstructed their midfield under returning head coach Adi Hütter. Raphael Onyedika arrived from Club Brugge as a natural defensive midfielder, while Noël Aséko provides the more attack-minded option.

The tactical preview ahead of the season nevertheless showed that Larsson remained heavily involved during preparation. The Swede scored the opener during an impressive 3-0 friendly victory over Trabzonspor as Hütter’s new 4-2-2-2 initially took shape. The additional midfield depth does, however, leave Frankfurt considerably better equipped to sanction a late sale at the reported valuation.

Meet Hugo Larsson: The Profile and the Comparisons

With these discussions ongoing, a closer look at what Larsson could offer Pierre Sage reveals a player with significant experience at the highest level despite his youth.

Larsson has amassed seven UEFA Champions League appearances, 11 in the UEFA Europa League, five in the UEFA Conference League, and 12 senior caps for Sweden. While typically deployed as a central midfielder (101 appearances), he has also logged 46 games as a defensive midfielder.

Position	Matches	Goals	Assists
Central Midfield	101	7	5
Defensive Midfield	46	5	4
Attacking Midfield	5	0	0
Left-Back	1	0	0
Left Winger	1	0	0

Past Ties and Alternative Targets

Larsson could have moved to London a lot sooner in his career after going on trial at Chelsea whom he calls his “favourite” club—but wisely opted to continue his development at Malmo.

If talk of a £21.4m price tag is accurate, this could prove to be shrewd business from Crystal Palace. It initially looked like Sage’s new midfielder would arrive from Ligue 1, after the Eagles bid for Lamine Camara and held talks with Auxerre over Kevin Danois. There was also interest in Quinten Timber before negotiations stalled.