According to French news outlet L’Equipe, Olympique Lyonnais are negotiating a deal to land Crystal Palace defender Mamadou Sakho. The French club wants Sakho for ‘under €10 million’ but Palace are expecting the deal to go higher.
The deal is in advanced stages according to French media and it could become the first major transfer deal of the summer in France.
The reports have suggested that Lyon have dealt the matter with ‘utmost secrecy’. This was probably done by the club so that the transfer leaks do not hinder in negotiating a good deal for either of the clubs.
REPORT: Olympique Lyonnais Chasing Crystal Palace Defender Mamadou Sakho
Lyon Interested for a While
Lyon first registered an interest in Sakho two years ago in 2018. The French club, who competed in the Champions League back then, wanted the defender for a cut-price of €13 million, according to The Mirror.
This was exactly half the price which Palace had paid for Sakho one year previous. The ex-Liverpool man had joined the London club in the winter transfer window of the 2016-17 season.
Now with the club coming back for the defender, the intentions from them seem very clear.
How Will the Departure Affect Crystal Palace?
Crystal Palace have some ageing centre-back personnel at their disposal currently. Gary Cahill, Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins and Scott Dan are all above 30-years-old.
The decision to offload Sakho could really depend on whether the Premier League club are looking to fast-track some youth defender from their academy or are expecting to sign a fairly young suitable candidate for the first team centre-back role.
Sakho’s departure, if left unfilled by Palace, could leave a huge void in the squad.
How Will Sakho fit at Lyon?
It does seem a little strange that Lyon are chasing the 30-year-old Frenchman. This is because the club has been focusing on developing their academy players and buying young players for the better half of the past decade.
The French club have been searching for a centre-back to pair up with Belgian Jason Denayer. Considering the skill-sets, and strengths and weaknesses of Denayer and Sakho, it will be a terrific partnership if the move pans out.
The question though remains whether Lyon will be willing to pay more than €10 million for an influential but ‘way past his peak’ centre-back.
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