Crystal Palace news: Eagles prep £13million bid for Lille defender Ibrahim Amadou to solve defensive crisis
Roy Hodgson is ready to open the cheque book to land the Lille star following the serious injury to Scott Dann
CRYSTAL PALACE are making a £13million bid for Lille's powerful centre half Ibrahim Amadou to solve their injury crisis.
Palace have contacted the French club about the Cameroon-born star who could fill the boots of Scott Dann after his knee problem cast a doubt about him playing again this season.
Amadou was a Palace target in the summer window but the clubs could not agree over a fee and the Eagles eventually paid a bigger fee for Mamadou Sakho from Liverpool.
But now there has been a fresh move for Amadou who would jump at the Premier League switch and could be in Roy Hodgson's squad immediately.
Sakho is also sidelined, leaving Palace stretched but the Dann problem has made them change their plans and go for a new player in that department.
Amadou can also play as a defensive sitter, but the immediate vacancy is at the back and Hodgson wants a new face to plug that hole.
Speaking after Crystal Palace's impressive comeback to steal all three points at Southampton, boss Hodgson hinted they will be in the market for a new defender following the injury to Dann.
He said: "It's far too soon to say, we didn’t know until today that Scott had injured a cruciate ligament but the Chairman and Directors are keen to improve our squad to ensure we have what we need.
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"Hopefully our performances have shown that if we get that backing it'll make us even stronger in this run in."
"Dann and Puncheon are both cruciate ligament injuries," added Hodgson.
"They'll both see a specialist and likely undergo surgery once the swelling goes.
"We won't see them play again this season and may not be ready for the start of next. They're very serious injuries."