Crystal Palace are closing in on the signing of the United States youth international Zavier Gozo as the new manager Pierre Sage attempts to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season.
Gozo, a 19-year-old who plays for Real Salt Lake in MLS and has represented the US at various youth levels up to Under 23, is expected to complete an £11m move to south London after he was left out of his side’s game on Tuesday night due to an “excused absence”. It is understood that Palace have tracked Gozo’s progress at Real Salt Lake – who are part-owned by David Blitzer, the American who is one of Palace’s co-owners – for some time and view him as a potential successor to Daniel Muñoz at right wing-back. Palace need cover after club legend Nathaniel Clyne’s departure at the end of his contract and selling Danny Imray to Wrexham for a fee that is thought to have been in the region of £5m last week.
Sage is also hoping to bring in several more players before the end of the transfer window as Palace prepare to juggle their Premier League challenge with a Europa League campaign, with a particular focus on replacing Maxence Lacroix after the France defender’s departure to Chelsea. Axel Disasi – who spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham – is one option, while Palace have also been in talks with Brest over teenager Raphaël Le Guen. Negotiations with Augsburg – the German club where Blitzer also owns a stake – over the French defender Chrislain Matsima broke down last week.
Palace are thought to be also targeting another forward and midfielder but are determined not to sell any of their leading players, including Adam Wharton, who has interest from Chelsea. The former Arsenal defender, Takehiro Tomiyasu, has been training with Palace in pre-season as he bids to earn a move after leaving Ajax after his fellow Japan international Daichi Kamada signed a one-year contract extension last month. Palace are also expected to offer Ismaila Sarr a new deal to ward off interest from Fenerbahçe in the Senegal forward, who scored 21 goals last season.
Club Brugge have seen an initial offer for Romain Esse rejected but the Belgian side are expected to return with an improved bid for the England under-21 forward.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are close to agreeing a £16.3m deal to sign the defender Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano. The 28-year-old, who was part of the team that reached last season’s Conference League final, is a left-sided defender and will provide competition for Jorrel Hato following the departure of Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid.
Manchester United are selling Radek Vitek to Middlesbrough in a deal worth up to £14m as fellow goalkeeper Altay Bayindir prepares to join Celta Vigo on loan.
Michael Carrick’s side are in the process of shaping their squad for the new season, with No 1 Senne Lammens joined by summer signing Karl Darlow in a new-look goalkeeping department. Vitek is on the verge of joining defeated Championship playoff finalists Middlesbrough following an impressive season with Bristol City.
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