Despite starting the 2024/25 campaign without a win in eight games, Crystal Palace are now catching up to Tottenham.
Spurs – who were incidentally the first side Crystal Palace beat in the Premier League this season – are only three points above the Eagles after 20 games, following a wretched run of just one win in eight outings.
That woeful streak has partly been caused by the absence of Guglielmo Vicario – Ange Postecoglou’s No.1 – and the struggles of Fraser Forster, who has been deputising for the Italian.
Spurs have consequently acted swiftly to sign a new goalkeeper, spending £12.5m to take Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague – a deal which could well throw a spanner in the works for Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace may now struggle to sign El Hadji Malick Diouf
A story from the News Shopper claims that Crystal Palace have made Slavia Prague No.12 El Hadji Malick Diouf their No.1 target for the Winter transfer window, as Oliver Glasner aims to replicate the effectiveness of Daniel Munoz down the right flank on the left.
The Senegal international has been a real livewire at left wing-back for the Czech giants this season, scoring six goals and providing three assists in just 18 Chance Liga appearances so far.
However, a new story from the Evening Standard now states that Slavia Prague are expecting Crystal Palace to give up their pursuit of Diouf, just days after receiving £12.5m from Tottenham for Kinsky.
It goes without saying Slavia Prague have a lesser need for cash this month after negotiating a Czech record sale with Spurs, already rejecting a £12.5m bid from Crystal Palace for the 20-year-old Senegalese wonderkid.
Of course, there is plenty of time remaining for Crystal Palace to twist Slavia Prague’s arm, although the feeling right now – in our view – is that Tottenham have certainly made the deal harder for Dougie Freedman to complete.
Tottenham and Crystal Palace also keen on Andy Diouf
Crystal Palace – who also want Ben Doak – are not the only side trying to sign a Diouf this month.
TBR Football understand Spurs have enquired about Andy Diouf of RC Lens – as have Crystal Palace – although the Ligue 1 outfit are unwilling to let the Frenchman leave during the season.