The bargain £17m Crystal Palace transfer which could replace Lacroix in style

The sale of Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea for £52m has left Crystal Palace with both a substantial hole to fill in their defence and a hefty sum of money burning an equally substantial hole in their pocket. According to new reports, however, they may not be desperate to spend it all at once.

On Monday, Sport Witness covered claims that the Eagles are interested in striking a deal to sign Fenerbahçe’s Jayden Oosterwolde, a Dutch defender who could take Lacroix’s place in the side – but they face stiff competition from Serie A. So will Palace get a deal over the line, and is Oosterwolde good enough to fill the void?

Crystal Palace preparing transfer bid for Jayden Oosterwolde – reports

Sport Witness cite Turkish media outlet Sabah in their report, which suggests that Crystal Palace have “received encouragement” after reaching out to Fenerbahçe to see if a deal can be reached – and are said to be preparing a bid of around €20m (£17.1m).

Fenerbahçe are said to be happy to sell Oosterwolde in order to stay within the Super Lig’s rules on the maximum number of foreign players a squad can have, and the relatively budget-friendly fee doesn’t reflect any lack of importance to their squad – he remains a regular starter, made 41 appearances last season and played the full 90 minutes of both legs of their recent Champions League qualifying win over Górnik.

To make life even easier, Oosterwolde is said to have “set his heart” on a move to the Premier League, suggesting that negotiations could be straightforward both on a club-to-club level and over personal terms.

At least one side may try to stand between Palace and the 25-year-old, however. AS Roma are also reported to be interested and appear to have held talks with the player’s representatives.

Neither club has yet made a formal offer, according to the report, but bids appear likely to be imminent as both of Oosterwolde’s suitors weigh up their options. Palace probably have a financial edge, and would likely be the favourites if both sides made an approach.

Whether €20m is sufficient is unclear. Fenerbahçe have the player under contract for another two years, which gives them a relatively strong negotiating position while also putting them at the point where they will be encouraged to sell Oosterwolde in order to extract maximum value.

Why Oosterwolde makes sense for Crystal Palace – but isn’t a perfect player

Should Crystal Palace get a deal for Oosterwolde over the line in the coming weeks, they’ll be getting a player who can operate at either left-back or on the left side of central defence – and presumably he would be earmarked for the left-sided role in their back three.

That’s a position which was occupied remarkably effectively by Jaydee Canvot towards the end of last season, but new Palace manager Pierre Sage has been playing the Frenchman on the right side of his back three in recent friendlies, suggesting that Oosterwolde could slot into Canvot’s old position while the youngster slides across. Chris Richards would most likely operate in the centre, with Chadi Riad available to play in any of the three roles as required.

Oosterwolde has a lot of the traits which would suit Palace’s style of play, assuming that Sage maintains continuity after the success of Oliver Glasner’s reign. The Dutchman is composed and confident on the ball, both highly press resistant and able to dribble the ball out from the back. Also an excellent passer, he’s the model of the ball-playing centre-back.

He’s also solid in one-on-one situations and good in the air – although at 6’2” he could perhaps be more dominant still – but his greatest strengths lie in his technical ability and the solid base of possession he offers, as well as his positional versatility. He could moonlight as a left wing-back if necessary.

His greatest weakness is in his discipline and his judgement in the tackle. Oosterwolde is prone to jumping in when he doesn’t have to, and is something of a magnet for cards – he collected 11 bookings and two red cards last season in the Super Lig alone. That tendency to give away cheap set pieces and put himself on a disciplinary tightrope can be a distinct weakness and is perhaps the one issue which has prevented him from building a stronger reputation for himself in Turkey.

He is also only a little more than a year removed from coming back from an ACL injury which cost him most of the 2024/25 campaign, although all indications are that he has made a full recovery – but a medical could be less routine than it is for most players. Last season, at least, he only suffered a couple of very minor injuries and missed more gametime through suspension.

If Crystal Palace do succeed in signing Oosterwolde, they’ll be getting a talented and very capable centre-back who suits their system but who can be combustible. It’s not a signing that comes without risk – but if he only costs around €20m, then it’s a cheap chance to take, and perhaps a necessary one given how thin they now are at the back.