Crystal Palace shortlist new target as Eberechi Eze Arsenal medical plan emerges

Crystal Palace have added Club Brugge central defender Joel Ordonez to their shortlist as they gear up for a frantic finish to the summer transfer window. The Eagles have now agreed to sell attacker Eberechi Eze to Arsenal in a deal worth up to £67.5million inclusive of add-ons.

The Gunners will pay an initial £60m plus around £7.5m in bonuses, the same value of Eze's expired release clause. However, Steve Parish is also prepared to listen to offers for centre-back Marc Guehi because he is reluctant to lose the England international on a free transfer in 2026.

Crucially though, Palace would need to source a replacement for Guehi - they are also working hard on striking a deal for Eze's successor - before they agreed to any deal.

Liverpool have already held talks for the 25-year-old and while Guehi is keen on a switch to Anfield, he remains relaxed about the situation and is still open to staying put this season and seeing out the final year of his contract.

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Palace previously held strong interest in Sporting CP's Ousmane Diomande but there was a significant gap in valuation following discussions with the Portuguese champions. It remains to be seen whether they reignite those talks but another name on their radar is Ecuador international Ordonez.

The 21-year-old is a right-footed central defender, who is comfortable playing on the left side of a three or four-man backline. That appeals to the Eagles, who are understood to have made enquiries during club-to-club talks with Brugge for forward Christos Tzolis.

It's understood Palace saw a bid worth up to £27.70m (€32m) rejected for the ex-Norwich City winger last week and the Belgian club continue to insist Tzolis is not for sale. Leicester's Bilal El Khannouss and Southampton's Tyler Dibling remain live options, though Everton and Spurs are also at the table for the 19-year-old.

Brugge have already made numerous high-profile sales this summer having flogged midfielder Ardon Jashari to AC Milan, Maxim De Cuyper to Brighton and Chemsdine Talbi to Sunderland. But their stance is every player has a price and they have been expecting to lose Ordonez all summer.

PSG were interested but instead signed Illia Zabarnyi, Bournemouth and Roma also enquired and Marseille made an approach but talks with the French club have since stalled. Ordonez has pushed to join Marseille and already has a verbal agreement on personal terms but so far, they've failed to shake hands with Brugge.

The Eagles also like Burnley's Maxime Esteve but the Frenchman recently penned a new five-year deal with the Clarets and they have also been offered Juventus' Lloyd Kelly and Tiago Djalo (a loan target in previous windows) via intermediaries.

Palace are keen to strengthen Oliver Glasner's squad with at least two new additions - defender and forward - in the coming weeks as they prepare to bid an emotional farewell to Eze.

He is expected to play in Thursday's Conference League play-off against Fredrikstad before undergoing his Arsenal medical on Friday. If all goes well, he will be presented at the Emirates on Saturday before the match against Leeds and will embark on a full week of training with the Gunners before the visit to Anfield next weekend.

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