Crystal Palace might launch the offensive to sign 25-year-old Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers once Sam Johnstone leaves to join Wolverhampton Wanderers.
According to a report by Football Insider, Mark Travers is the subject of interest from Crystal Palace. The Eagles are scouring the market for a goalkeeper ahead of Friday’s summer transfer window deadline. Meanwhile, the Bournemouth goalkeeper is also a target for Luton Town, with Crystal Palace ready to steal a march on the Hatters for the 25-year-old.
Who is Mark Travers?
Mark Travers has become the backup goalkeeper for Crystal Palace since Neto arrived from FC Barcelona last summer. A native of Maynooth, the Irishman spent his formative years in his homeland and graduated from the youth division at Shamrock Rovers.
The 25-year-old has been with Bournemouth since July 2016 and initially represented the Premier League club in age-group football. A few loan spells helped Travers’s cause before he established a foothold in the first-team squad at the Vitality Stadium. He has turned out 77 times thus far for the Cherries while keeping 29 clean sheets and conceding 101 goals.
However, with Kepa Arrizabalaga closing in on joining Bournemouth on a season-long loan deal, Mark Travers’s fortunes will likely go from bad to worse. The Republic of Ireland international does not have a shortage of suitors pursuing his signature, with Crystal Palace joining Luton Town in the race to secure his services.
A man in demand
Luton Town’s interest in Mark Travers is understandable. Rob Edwards wants a new goalkeeper to compete with Thomas Kaminski for the first-choice goalkeeper’s berth. So, the 25-year-old Bournemouth shot-stopper has emerged as a viable target for Luton Town. However, the Hatters face a hijack from Crystal Palace.
The South London club will soon lose Sam Johnstone to Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the Black Country outfit on the verge of completing a deal worth £10 million for the Englishman today. So, Crystal Palace must sign a replacement with Travers emerging as an option worth considering.
Travers will likely join Crystal Palace as Dean Henderson’s deputy. However, it will be interesting to see if the South London club’s late move for the 25-year-old Irishman can lead to Luton Town yielding the race to secure his signature.
