Crystal Palace selling Sørloth to Leipzig and hope to sign Brentford's Benrahma
Crystal Palace have agreed to sell the striker Alexander Sørloth to RB Leipzig and are hoping to use the proceeds to fund a move for Brentford’s Saïd Benrahma.
Palace are splitting the £20m they will receive for Sørloth equally with Trabzonspor, where the Norway international was due to spend a second full season on loan with an option for a permanent transfer.
Sørloth, who joined Palace from the Danish club FC Midtjylland in January 2018 for an initial £9m, scored 33 goals in 49 appearances for Trabzonspor last season. His performances attracted the attention of several leading clubs including Tottenham, where the 24-yearold was mooted as a potential back-up to Harry Kane.
However Sørloth made clear he wanted to join Leipzig, having been earmarked as a replacement for Timo Werner following the Germany striker’s move to Chelsea, and did not return to Turkey after this month’s international break.
The transfer was complicated by the option in his loan that enabled Trabzonspor to purchase him for £5.5m next summer if he featured in more than 50% of their matches.
Negotiations involving Palace and Trabzonspor have been ongoing for weeks but an agreement to split the fee has been reached, and Sørloth is expected to complete his move before the weekend.
That could accelerate Palace’s attempt to sign Benrahma, who is understood to be available for about £25m and has not featured for Brentford this season. Palace have held talks with his representatives in recent days but have so far been unwilling to match the Algeria forward’s valuation.
Palace’s attempts to sign Benrahma do not hinge on Wilfried Zaha leaving, although it is understood the Ivory Coast international’s representatives are working hard to a secure him a transfer. Nathaniel Clyne is training with Palace after his release from Liverpool, with the former England defender hoping to seal a return back to his former club.
Trabzonspor, managed by the former Chelsea assistant coach and player Eddie Newton, are taking the midfielder Lewis Baker on loan from Stamford Bridge and have signed the striker Benik Afobe from Stoke.
Dijon’s goalkeeper Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson is set to undergo a medical for a proposed move to Arsenal. The Iceland international, 25, has been earmarked as a replacement for Emiliano Martínez, who completed his move to Aston Villa on Wednesday. It is unlikely a transfer will be completed in time for Rúnarsson to be part of Arsenal’s squad for Saturday’s Premier League visit of West Ham.