Middlesbrough Star On Crystal Palace Radar Was ‘Sleepyhead’ Admits Ex-Team-mate | OneFootball

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Dutch top-flight star Bram van Polen believes that Middlesbrough star Rav van den Berg, who is wanted by Crystal Palace, has made big developments since his move to England, and thinks his physical strength is a big plus to his game.

The Premier League outfit have qualified for next season’s Europa League after they won the FA Cup under Oliver Glasner.

They will be looking to be ambitious in this transfer window and adding central defenders to their squad appears to be high on their agenda.

Eagles captain Marc Guehi, who is in his last year of his contract, has high-profile suitors this summer and Palace have been linked with multiple defenders across Europe.

Glasner’s side have stepped up for Sporting Lisbon star Ousmane Diomande, but Boro defender Van den Berg is a player the Premier League side are tracking.

Ex-Eredivisie star Van Polen believes that he had things easy in the Dutch league and insisted he has made big steps since he joined the Championship outfit.

“The move to England was good for him”, Van Polen told ESPN Netherlands about the Eagles’ target.

“He had to leave his safe environment in Zwolle.

“With us, he was sometimes a ‘sleepyhead’; everything went much too easily. At Middlesbrough, he matured.”

The former PEC Zwolle man is of the view that the Dutchman is a very quick learner and praised him for his physicality.

“His solidity is his great strength, that sounds like a shortcoming, but it absolutely isn’t.

“He is also intelligent and learns quickly.

“When I see how quickly he has developed since his time at PEC Zwolle, that is really impressive.”

The 20-year-old won Middlesbrough’s Player of the Year in the 2023-24 campaign and still has two more years of contract remaining at the club.

All eyes will be on Glasner’s side to see if they will follow through with their interest and make an approach for the Dutchman.