Crystal Palace to return for player in January – Already spoken to Pierre Sage

Crystal Palace made an offer of €14m for Stade Brestois defender Raphaël Le Guen this summer and haven’t abandoned their interest yet.

Ouest-France report that the 19-year-old was a target for Pierre Sage’s side. They made a €14m offer, plus €4m in bonuses. Fulham were even willing to go up to go up to €20m. However, the French club rejected both approaches.

President wasn’t selling

“The president said he wasn’t selling,” revealed Jules Diatta. “That doesn’t stop interested clubs from making offers. But there was no set price.

“There were offers for significant amounts; I think if we had sold him this summer, we would have broken the club’s transfer record.”

That record is €15m, set by Romain Faivre’s move to Lyon. But Ouest report that Brest ‘did not succumb’ to the lure of ‘English millions’.

Whether they can do so again in future, remains to be seen. And it seems Crystal Palace intend to test that resolve moving forwards.

Crystal Palace still trying

Le 10 Sport report that Crystal Palace are ‘still pursuing’ Raphaël Le Guen despite their disappointment in the summer.

Their information is that the Eagles remain keen on the promising centre-back. They have not been put off by their rejection in the summer transfer window.

Instead, there is a belief that they remain ‘very interested’ and things ‘could get more complicated’ for the French side in the January transfer window.

They even state that Le Guen talked with Pierre Sage during the summer. Because of that, there is every chance Crystal Palace make a second bid. Fulham could be included in that too. There are other clubs monitoring the situation as well.

Brest are well aware of it and intend to improve the terms of the youngster’s contract. His current deal runs until 2029, but it seems there is no confidence that’s strong enough to keep him.