Crystal Palace ‘Have Shelved’ Deal, Asking Price Out Of Reach | OneFootball

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Crystal Palace ‘have shelved’ their pursuit of Ismaelo Ganiou after Lens’ lofty valuation pushed the defender beyond the club’s projected outlay, with the Eagles now chasing Chelsea star Axel Disasi.

Crystal Palace have been forced into the market for defensive reinforcements after Maxence Lacroix departed Selhurst Park for Chelsea, with the Frenchman signing a six-year deal with the Blues.

The 26-year-old, who spent two seasons in south London and made almost 100 appearances for Palace, saw his long-anticipated move to Stamford Bridge finally completed on 30th July after his departure was first anticipated in early May.

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Lacroix played a key role in Oliver Glasner’s side lifting the FA Cup last year, while also contributing heavily during their Europa Conference League triumph in May.

His departure leaves the Eagles with a sizeable vacancy to address, prompting them to cast their net across a range of defensive candidates.

Among those under consideration was Ganiou, whose breakthrough campaign under Pierre Sage at Lens thrust the centre-back firmly into the spotlight.

The 21-year-old accumulated 2,541 minutes across 29 appearances for the French outfit last season and, alongside a string of commanding defensive performances, also found the net on three occasions.

That placed the Frenchman on Palace’s radar, with Sage hoping to reunite with the defender at Selhurst Park this summer after the Eagles ‘enquired’ over the conditions of a potential deal with Lens.

The Ligue 1 outfit, however, are under no financial pressure following the record-breaking sale of Mamadou Sangare to Brentford and regard Ganiou as a cornerstone of their project, attaching a €50m valuation to the defender.

Crystal Palace have allocated only around €25m for a new central defender, leaving Ganiou’s asking price beyond their reach, with the Eagles having ‘shelved’ a move for the Frenchman, according to French outlet Jeunesfooteux.

The Eagles have now redirected their attention towards Disasi as their leading centre-back target, with the Frenchman no longer featuring in Chelsea’s plans at Stamford Bridge.

The south London outfit are believed to be preparing an offer for the defender, with suggestions Chelsea value him at around £25m, a figure Crystal Palace could prove capable of accommodating.

The Eagles first pursued Disasi last summer, and this window could yet provide the opportunity to finally secure his arrival at Selhurst Park.