- Crystal Palace have opened talks to sign Chadi Riad from Real Betis this summer
- Oliver Glasner knows Palace need strengthening if their star performers are sold
- Chelsea are ‘baffling’… Mauricio Pochettino has NOT failed – where do the Blues go from here? Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off! Podcast
Crystal Palace will take a step closer to signing Real Betis defender Chadi Riad on Monday when he is expected to arrive for a medical.
Palace offered £12.7million for the 20-year old with a further £1.7m due in add ons.
Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini confirmed that Riad was being pulled out of their squad to face Real Madrid on Saturday and was due to travel to England for medical tests at the start of this week.
Riad joined Betis from Barcelona last summer for £3m and they are due 50 per cent of any profit made on the deal.
The 20-year-old is a Morocco international and he has made 30 appearances for the side that finished seventh in La Liga this season.
Crystal Palace have moved a step closer to making Real Betis defender Chadi Riad their first summer signing
Palace finished the season with a flourish under Oliver Glasner but recognise their squad will need strengthening
Riad is 6ft 3ins tall, athletic, quick and left-footed. Palace have been looking for that style of defender amid increasing interest in Guehi, who is on Manchester United’s radar among others.
Palace have also discussed Maxence Lacroix of Wolfsburg and Nottingham Forest’s Moussa Niakhate for the centre back position though they are likely to be more expensive options.
Palace finished the season with a flourish under Oliver Glasner but recognise their squad will need strengthening amid growing interest in some of their star performers.
Enquiries are expected for Guehi as well as Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise, who is admired by Newcastle, Manchester United and Chelsea among others.
Midfielder Adam Wharton, who only joined from Blackburn in January, is also admired by Bayern Munich but Palace value him highly and hope to convince him to stay.
