Crystal Palace have shown interest in Augsburg’s highly rated centre-back Chrislain Matsima with the Frenchman being one of a number of defenders on the Eagles’ shortlist, according to Sky Sports.
Crystal Palace Eye Bundesliga Defender
Palace Interested but Who Is Chrislain Matsima
Palace have a big summer ahead of them as they plan for a maiden Europa League campaign and Matsima is being viewed as a strong option at centre half as Pierre Sage builds his Palace squad
The 24-year-old was a regular for Augsburg, where he was previously dubbed “a jewel” before a tendon tear in December restricted him to just four further appearances last season.
The South London side will be keen to strengthen their defence following the departure of captain Marc Guehi in January and have acted quickly this summer, announcing the signing of Spaniard Oscar Mingueza last week.
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A product of the Monaco academy, Matsima went on to make 41 appearances for the French side across four seasons.
Matsima was also sent out on loan to both Lorient and Clermont Foot where he gained valuable Ligue 1 experience.
The defender’s third loan spell was with current side Augsburg in the 2024/25 season and impressed enough for the German side to activate their option to buy Matsima for £4.2 million.
Monaco to Augsburg
Matsima played the full ninety in Augsburg’s first 14 games this season with the Bundesliga side floating around mid-table for the duration of the campaign.
The Frenchman then suffered a bad tendon tear which saw him out of action for over four months before regaining fitness just before the end of the season.
The defender is often praised for his athletic ability and pace at the back, while his 6ft 4in frame makes him an appealing option for Crystal Palace to monitor this summer.
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Olympic Medalist
Matsima also has international experience within the French youth setup, representing his country at every level from the Under-16s to the Under-23s. This included being part of Thierry Henry’s Olympic squad that won a silver medal at Paris 2024.
The defender appeared once during that campaign in a 3-0 victory over New Zealand, a game in which current Palace striker Jean-Phillipe Mateta started and opened the scoring for France.
Eagles Add to Shortlist Amid Lacroix Uncertainty
Current Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix is still gaining interest from Chelsea but no formal offer has been made yet.
Last season’s loanee Evann Guessand is still held in high regard by the club despite his option to buy not being triggered and a permanent deal isn’t off the table according to Sky Sports.
Guessand’s deal isn’t seen as a priority though with the Eagles focusing on adding defensive options after Guehi’s departure and Lacroix’s uncertain future,
Pierre Sage is clearly keen to improve his defensive options with the deal for Mingueza as well as interest in Matsima as the Eagles plan their Europa League adventure.
