- Crystal Palace were keen on Charlie Cresswell
- Brighton want to sign Toulouse defender this summer
- Why the Eagles shouldn’t rival them for the English star
Crystal Palace were reportedly keen on signing Charlie Cresswell in January. The Eagles didn’t move for a new centre-back but the Toulouse man clearly had admirers.
According to Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports, Palace were eyeing Cresswell in the winter transfer window, along with West Ham United. His impressive season with the Ligue 1 outfit has led to talk of him returning to English football.
Cresswell joined Toulouse from Leeds United for just £1.5m in the summer of 2023. He has been a key man under Carles Martinez Novell and even come up with three goals and two assists in 29 league games this season.
Crystal Palace don’t need Cresswell
Thomas claims that Brighton & Hove Albion remain keen on signing Cresswell and they too were keeping tabs in January. He could replace Adam Webster, who is set to leave the Amex at the end of the season.
There is no mention of whether Palace are still interested in signing the 23-year-old. The wise decision is for the club not to get dragged into a potential player auction.
A new defender isn’t a priority for the Eagles ahead of Oliver Glasner’s departure. Jaydee Canvot, who joined from Toulouse last summer, has been outstanding since Marc Guehi left for Manchester City in January.
Whoever replaces Glasner will have a strong pool of defensive options. That includes Canvot, Maxence Lacroix, Chris Richards and Chadi Riad.
Midfield is the focus
Cresswell isn’t a necessity, and the transfer budget should be used on other areas of the squad. A midfield overhaul could be on the cards ahead of Daichi Kamada’s departure.
Jefferson Lerma has reportedly turned down a new contract and is expected to leave Selhurst Park. The Colombian will become a free agent and a move to La Liga is a possibility.
Hayden Hackney and Jordan James are on the club’s shortlist to rebuild a midfield that will lose at least two important players. That’s why spending a considerable amount of money on Cresswell shouldn’t be the focus for the recruitment staff.
