Joel Ordonez’s Crystal Palace move in serious doubt due to injury | OneFootball

Crystal Palace’s bid to sign Joel Ordonez is in serious doubt due to complications with the Club Brugge centre-back’s existing injury. According to NY Times, there is now pessimism on both sides over the proposed move.

They had offered a loan with a conditional obligation to buy, valued at about €30 million (£25m).

It is a setback for Palace’s search for a centre-back, with Chadi Riad facing a lengthy spell out after suffering another anterior cruciate ligament injury. The Morocco international was taken off on a stretcher in the opening-day defeat at Everton on Saturday.

Riad previously endured an ACL tear in January last year, which kept him out for almost a year, after a medial collateral ligament injury in August 2024. Palace hope he could still feature this season, potentially towards its conclusion.

Palace have sought defensive reinforcements this summer, with Maxence Lacroix having already left the club to join Chelsea for £52m. Axel Disasi moved the other way on loan later in the window. Aston Villa also pursued Ordonez, making a similar loan with obligation.

Chris Richards, Jaydee Canvot and Takehiro Tomiyasu are Pierre Sage’s other first-team centre-back options. Ordonez was also targeted in the winter window, when an offer from Palace could have reached €40m. The Ecuador international is under contract at Brugge until 2028 and has made 128 appearances, scoring seven goals.

Source: NY Times

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