Last updated at 19:00
There's too much noise out there to stay up to date on Crystal Palace - so we've put it all in one place, compiled with our editor's honest thoughts on each story.
"Crystal Palace are considering an ambitious reunion with Conor Gallagher"
Well, that one was certainly kept quiet. Not.
Palace can solve a lot of problems with this potential transfer. Gallagher would add mobility and end product to Oliver Glasner’s midfield two, something that has been missing from Palace’s team since his loan expired in 2022. He could also play either side of Jean-Philippe Mateta should Glasner want a more rugged presence up front when preserving a scoreline, however, he is not considered an Eberechi Eze replacement by the Selhurst Park hierarchy. Finally, with Adam Wharton likely to be sold next summer and Daichi Kamada’s contract set to expire, continuity in midfield could be crucial to Palace’s performance next season - especially if Glasner himself leaves Palace.
Gallagher is open to leaving Atletico Madrid, having lost his starting place in Spain, and has fond memories of South London. For Atletico Madrid to sanction a loan exit of an expensive asset like Gallagher, who was signed for £36.4m last summer, they would require some assurance of a permanent transfer upon the completion of the prospective loan. The two clubs need to decide whether an option or an obligation to buy is best suited for this deal, with the former likely to require a larger transfer fee due to its conditional nature.
Whichever option is pursued, the final transfer fee would need to be a Palace club record to convince Atleti.
"Crystal Palace enter the race for French centre back Jaydee Canvot"
The calibre of depth Palace can afford has increased significantly since Eberechi Eze’s sale to Arsenal last week. They have been looking for a young right-sided centre-back to bolster their defence, and Canvot is one name on their list that they believe could provide depth in the short term and challenge for a starting place in the near future. Palace’s strong relationships in France could aid their pursuit, although there are similar players on their list - namely Jérémy Jacquet at Rennes.
Palace need to prioritise a replacement for Eberechi Eze, and will have a better idea of their budget for defensive depth once that goal has been met. Filling this position will likely come late on, and knowing Palace, may slip through the cracks if they’re not careful.
"Talks remain stalled with Leicester City over Bilal El Khannouss"
To put it simply, the price that Leicester want for El Khannouss is not compatible with how ready he is to replace Eberechi Eze and start in an Oliver Glasner team. He was initially suggested by former Director of Football Dougie Freedman as a player with a profile similar to Eze, however, Glasner is looking for someone ready to make an immediate impact in the Premier League - and El Khannouss’ limited end product last season, as well as his slower pace of play, are points of reservation. Palace’s hesitancy across multiple deals this summer has frustrated many parties, and they risk doing the same here.
Palace have struggled to find the right player in this position. They missed out on their “priority target” Evann Guessand to Aston Villa, as well as Dan Ndoye to Nottingham Forest, who provided a remarkable assist for Callum Hudson-Odoi at Selhurst Park on Sunday. Ndoye was one of Glasner’s preferred targets in the case of Eberechi Eze’s departure, however, Palace chose not to be proactive in the transfer market due to their limited cash flow, in the case that Eze stayed at the club.
There are other players being seriously considered in this role, chiefly Yeremy Pino, who is a more recent target and can play on both sides of the front three. Harvey Elliott is another, although a move would be the product of a severe change to Palace’s plans.
Finally, Palace are also looking to sign a more versatile forward in response to Matheus Franca’s impending exit on loan and to enable the permanent sale of Odsonne Edouard. There is substantial interest in Hwang Hee-Chan, who was recommended by incoming Director of Football Matt Hobbs, although that deal has stalled due to Newcastle chasing Wolves striker Jørgen Strand Larsen.
I’ve not heard anything personally about Baumgartner yet, but if those links are true, it would make sense if he were being considered for this role. Just speculation on my part though!
Palace have a week to provide Glasner with the squad necessary to compete on four fronts, but they’ve had an entire summer to convince him that his future is best spent in South London. Only time will tell if they succeeded.