Crystal Palace’s Pursuit of Jorgen Strand Larsen in Jeopardy

Jorgen Strand Larsen, who netted 14 goals for Wolves in the Premier League last season, remains in a precarious position regarding his potential transfer to Crystal Palace. The club’s £50 million bid for the 25-year-old striker is now in jeopardy following indications from Palace that they may withdraw from negotiations.

The two Premier League clubs had reached a preliminary agreement for Strand Larsen to join Selhurst Park, contingent upon Palace submitting a formal written offer that Wolves would accept. However, this expected offer, initially anticipated to arrive on Thursday, has yet to materialize. Sources suggest that Wolves have been informed that Crystal Palace no longer intends to move forward with the deal.

It remains uncertain whether this development serves as a negotiating tactic aimed at reducing the transfer fee.

Should the transfer of Strand Larsen ultimately collapse, it could influence Jean-Philippe Mateta’s desired departure from Selhurst Park ahead of the upcoming transfer deadline on Monday. The 28-year-old French forward has expressed his intention to leave this month, and Palace appears increasingly willing to facilitate his exit.

Nottingham Forest previously had a £35 million offer rejected for Mateta and is expected to intensify their pursuit in the coming days. Additionally, clubs such as Juventus and AC Milan have shown genuine interest in acquiring the forward.

While Mateta is keen on playing in the Champions League, he remains open to a transfer to the City Ground. Crystal Palace seeks a replacement before finalizing Mateta’s departure and is poised to sign versatile attacker Evann Guessand on loan from Aston Villa. However, it is still unclear if the Eagles will prioritize acquiring a recognized center-forward before allowing Mateta to exit.

In a related note, Nottingham Forest has submitted a £20 million bid for Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari, although this offer is also expected to be declined.