Crystal Palace will unlikely sign 21-year-old Belgian defender Aster Vranckx from Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Corriere dello Sport, as relayed by Sport Witness, Aster Vranckx has been the subject of interest from Crystal Palace. The VfL Wolfsburg defender is available for a price tag of around €12 million. However, the Eagles have moved away from the deal to sign the 21-year-old centre-back prospect from the Bundesliga club in the summer transfer window.
Aster Vranckx and his topsy-turvy career
Aster Vranckx established himself as one of the best young defenders in the Bundesliga after joining VfL Wolfsburg from KV Mechelen in July 2021. A superb debut season with Wolfsburg led to a loan move to AC Milan, although he struggled to make his mark in the 2022/23 campaign at San Siro.
The 21-year-old returned to VfL Wolfsburg and turned out 26 times across all competitions for the Bundesliga outfit. However, the young centre-back could not manage even 1,500 minutes of game time. Nevertheless, Domenico Tedesco picked Vranckx in his squad for UEFA Euro 2024, although he did not feature in any game in the quadrennial event.
Meanwhile, Aster Vranckx’s stock in the market remains high, with several well-known clubs across Europe interested in signing him in the summer transfer window. Recent reports have heavily linked the youngster with Premier League club Crystal Palace.
What next?
Crystal Palace’s interest in Aster Vranckx made sense. The Eagles have been scouring the market for a centre-back heading into the summer transfer window amid uncertainties surrounding the long-term future of Marc Guehi. The VfL Wolfsburg defender thus emerged as a viable target for Crystal Palace.
Widespread reports suggested the Eagles were the front-runners to secure Aster Vranckx’s services. The 21-year-old VfL Wolfsburg defender would not have cost a bomb, with the Bundesliga club demanding around €12 million to part ways with him in the summer transfer window. However, he will not join Crystal Palace this year.
The report by Corriere dello Sport (h/t Sport Witness) has claimed that the Eagles have moved away from the deal to sign Vranckx in the summer transfer window. A return to Serie A might be on the cards for the Belgian international, with Fiorentina vying for his signature.
