Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Brazilian midfielder Matheus Franca, a target for Real Madrid and Manchester City.
According to a report from Daily Mail, Matheus Franca is on the radar of Crystal Palace. Manchester City and Real Madrid are also interested in the highly talented attacking midfielder. The Eagles have made enquiries for the Brazilian as well.
Matheus Franca broke into the Flamengo first team last season, and he has been quite impressive for them so far. The 18-year-old has eight goals to his name in 24 first-team appearances.
The Brazilian midfielder is highly rated at Flamengo, and it will be interesting to see if they are willing to let him leave in the near future. He has the potential to develop into a top-class player.
Crystal Palace are probably looking at him as someone who can improve them in the final third. But ideally, he should be a long-term prospect for them. The 18-year-old will need time to adapt to English football if he moves to Selhurst Park.
Meanwhile, Manchester City and Real Madrid have considerable resources and it would be nearly impossible for Crystal Palace to win the race for the player if the two heavyweights are determined to sign him.
That said, the player could get more playing time with the Eagles, and that could give them an edge in the transfer chase. Crystal Palace are reportedly willing to offer around £15 million for the 18-year-old. While that seems like a substantial amount for a player who is relatively unproven, the player has the quality to justify that outlay in the long run.
Franca signed a new deal with Flamengo last January, and he has a release clause of around £87 million. It goes without saying that no club would be willing to pay that kind of money for him, and the Brazilian outfit will have to lower their demands significantly in order for any move to go through.
Patrick Vieira has shown a willingness to invest in talented young players since joining the London club and Franca could be another long-term asset for the club if they manage to pull off the transfer. But with Real Madrid and Manchester City interested, it will be interesting to see where the 18-year-old decides to continue his career when he moves to Europe.
