Crystal Palace close to deal for Europa League winner who Oliver Glasner loves
05/31/2024 08:07 AM
Crystal Palace are closing in on former Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada.
The Japanese international played under Oliver Glasner at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Kamada, who is currently available on a free transfer after failing to agree with a new deal with Lazio, likes to play in an attacking role.
With Crystal Palace stars Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze both attracting major attention from other clubs this summer, Kamada could be a hugely valuable option for Palace to have next season should they lose the pair.
The midfielder is no stranger to success, having won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.
He had made a significant contribution in the club’s run to victory, having scored the winning goal in their 2-1 win over West Ham in the first leg of their semi-final match.
He also scored in their penalty shootout in the final against Rangers, which Frankfurt eventually won 5-4.
And his manager at the time of the Europa League victory was none other than current Crystal Palace boss Glasner.
Glasner is well aware of Kamada’s potential worth to the London club, having overlapped with him between 2021 and 2023 at Frankfurt.
The 27-year-old picked up 40 goals in 179 total appearances for Frankfurt during his total time at the club.
And Austrian manager Glasner clearly valued Kamada’s contributions, with 25 of those goals and 93 of those appearances coming under his management tenure.
Both Kamada and Glasner left Frankfurt at the end of the 2022/23 season after a disappointing run.
Kamada then joined Lazio in 2023, where he has since scored twice in 38 appearances – but a new contract with the Italian side has fallen through.
He could now be reunited with Glasner at Selhurst Park, with the Austrian having masterminded some impressive results in the latter half of the Premier League season.
