While Crystal Palace fans might be left wondering what could have been, it turns out their club pushed right up to the final hours to bring Alieu Njie to Selhurst Park even gatecrashing his medical elsewhere.
Alieu Njie’s agent, Sandro Martone, has revealed that both Crystal Palace and West Ham United failed to secure the winger during the summer transfer window before he ultimately joined Fiorentina on loan with a conditional €16m obligation to buy from Torino.
Speaking to Viola News, Martone opened up about the intense Premier League interest that went right down to the wire, confirming that Red Bull Salzburg had also pushed hard for the 21-year-old earlier in the window.
“Between late July and early August, Salzburg had come very close to finalising the signing. Then there was Crystal Palace, in addition to an official offer submitted by West Ham to Torino,” Martone said.
A Late Bid During the Medical
Palace’s late persistence nearly hijacked the Serie A switch, with the Eagles launching a final bid on the exact morning the winger was set to undergo his medical with La Viola.
“There’s an interesting anecdote involving Crystal Palace: on the very morning of his medical exam with Fiorentina, by which time the deal with La Viola had already finalised, the English club sent Torino a new offer matching Paratici’s figure,” Martone revealed.
Despite the late Premier League approaches, Njie opted for Florence as the ideal next step in his development.
“The young player’s style is a great fit for the Premier League, but Alieu made a clear choice: he really wanted to join Fiorentina,” the agent added.
Why Fiorentina Is the Perfect Springboard
Looking ahead, Martone believes the Italian club offers the ideal environment for the attacker to eventually reach the very top level.
“I’m absolutely sure about it,” Martone said when asked if the player aspires to join a major club in the future. “Over the summer, I told him that, beyond the financial aspect, which might initially be more attractive elsewhere, doing well at Fiorentina represents the perfect springboard. Doing well at Fiorentina means opening the doors to a top club. He has outstanding physical and technical qualities, and his age is on his side.”
While missing out on a target of Njie’s calibre will sting for Eagles supporters watching from afar, the sheer ambition shown by the recruitment team proves Palace are casting their net wide for elite young talent. If the winger delivers on his immense potential in Italy, Selhurst Park executives may well come calling again.
