Crystal Palace are reportedly keen on signing Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who is currently away on loan at Serie A side Napoli.
According to a report from The Sun, Crystal Palace are ready to make a move for Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa next summer and beat Serie A giants Napoli to his transfer.
Anguissa signed for Fulham in 2018 from French club Olympique Marseille and was one of their better players in the Premier League campaign that ended in relegation. After that, the 25-year-old left for Villarreal on loan, where he impressed, before returning to Fulham for the 2020/21 season.
Like his debut term, Anguissa stood out yet again, but the Cottagers ended up facing the drop. This past summer saw the 25-year-old leave Craven Cottage on loan, as he signed for Napoli, where he has impressed heavily. The Cameroon international has featured in 14 games across all competitions for the Partenopei, playing a key role in their strong start to the season.
Napoli have an option to make his transfer permanent at the end of the season, but Crystal Palace are now plotting to stop that from happening as they hope to lure Anguissa to Selhurst Park instead. The report claims that the Eagles manager, Patrick Vieira, is a huge admirer of the midfielder and wanted to sign him last summer.
Having missed out on his signing, Vieira is keen on making another attempt to bring him to the south London club next year. Crystal Palace could use a midfielder of his qualities, considering that James McArthur is 34 years old and is in the final year of his contract, while Cheikhou Kouyate’s deal also runs out at the end of the ongoing campaign.
Furthermore, Conor Gallagher is at the club only on a season-long loan deal and will return to Chelsea in the summer, as he intends to prove himself at Stamford Bridge. Thus, a move for Anguissa could make a lot of sense for Crystal Palace. Able to play as a holding midfielder or in a box-to-box role, Anguissa can add more quality to the midfield department at Selhurst Park.
At 25, the Cameroonian international has his best years in front of him, while he has also proven himself in the Premier League in the past. Fulham, for their part, are open to selling him permanently and will demand a fee of £20 million, although they might have to settle for a lower sum as the midfielder will be entering the final year of his contract.
What remains to be seen is if Vieira and Palace can convince Anguissa to choose a move to Selhurst Park over Napoli, where he has grown into a vital cog.
