Deadline day at Selhurst Park has reached an absolute boiling point. As the 11pm transfer deadline hurtles toward us, Crystal Palace have launched a dramatic, last-minute attempt to hijack a deal and bring Lyon winger Malick Fofana to south London.
That left the door wide open for Sunderland, who struck an agreement with Olympique Lyonnais on a package worth around €30m plus add-ons (£26m up front plus £4m in add-ons), with the player even traveling for medical checks.
However, Pierre Sage and the Palace hierarchy refused to go down quietly.
The Late-Night Twist: Palace Make Their Move
As David Ornstein corroborated the report for The Athletic, Crystal Palace began actively working to hijack the deal right under Sunderland’s noses:
🚨 BREAKING: Crystal Palace working to hijack Sunderland move for Malick Fofana. Pierre Sage spoke to 21yo in bid to sway deal for #CPFC on same terms #SAFC struck with #OlympiqueLyonnais; not closed but situation advancing @TheAthleticFC
French journalist Santi Aouna first reported the sudden scramble from south London, noting that Palace stepped up with a late bid to outmuscle the competition:
🚨EXCL: 🔴🔵🇧🇪 #Ligue1 | 🤝 Despite a total agreement between Lyon and Sunderland for Malick Fofana, Crystal Palace is now attempting to hijack the deal. ⏳ Situation to follow very closely.
Fabrizio Romano further emphasized that Palace were ready to put superior conditions on the table compared to the €30m structure initially struck, throwing the player’s final destination completely up in the air.
🚨🔴🔵 Malick Fofana has completed his medical at Sunderland… and Crystal Palace have just sent a bid to Olympique Lyon!#CPFC try to hijack the deal by offering better conditions than €30m plus €5m add-ons offered by Sunderland.
For Palace fans watching every tick of the clock, the appeal of Fofana is blindingly obvious. Having joined Lyon from Gent in January 2024, the electric 21-year-old has developed into one of the most exciting young wide attackers in Ligue 1. With explosive pace, a natural eye for goal, and senior caps for Belgium already under his belt, he represents the exact kind of ceiling-raising talent Pierre Sage wants to embed into this squad.
Sunderland thought they had the keys after agreeing to a five-year contract with an option for a further 12 months, granting the youngster permission to travel to the North-East. But with Crystal Palace competing in Europe and offering a massive stage in the capital, the pull of Selhurst Park presents a serious counter-weight.
As the final hours of the window tick away, the decision rests entirely in Fofana’s hands. Will he complete his move up north, or can Pierre Sage pull off one of the most stunning deadline-day hijacks in recent memory? Fasten your seatbelts this one is going down to the wire.
Nazira Yusuf is a freelance football journalist covering Liverpool FC, Crystal Palace FC, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest. Also covering women’s football. Naz produces breaking news, match reports, interviews while also developing expertise in video journalism, social media and digital publishing.
