Crystal Palace will reportedly compete with Everton to sign 22-year-old German midfielder Merlin Rohl from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by German outlet BILD, Merlin Rohl is the subject of interest from Crystal Palace. The Eagles are scouring the market for a midfielder heading into the summer transfer window and have set their sights on the SC Freiburg prospect. Meanwhile, the Bundesliga club will demand around €25 million to part ways with the German midfielder, with Everton also keen on signing him.
Who is Merlin Rohl?
Merlin Rohl has established himself as one of the best young prospects in the Bundesliga since joining SC Freiburg from FC Ingolstadt 04 in August 2022. A native of Berlin, the highly-rated midfielder spent his formative years in Germany, starting his youth career at SV Babelsberg 03 before graduating from the academy at FC Ingolstadt 04.
The 22-year-old has come leaps and bounds in the last three years, becoming a mainstay in the middle of the park for SC Freiburg. However, Rohl has struggled with injuries this season, with the fitness issues restricting his game time to less than 1,000 minutes across 17 appearances in all competitions.
However, despite his fitness woes, the German midfield prospect has piqued the attention of several well-known clubs across Europe with his exploits for SC Freiburg. A move to the Premier League might be on the cards, with Crystal Palace and Everton among the prospective suitors vying for his signature heading into the summer transfer window.
Premier League move on the horizon?
Everton’s interest in Merlin Rohl makes sense. The Toffees are combing the market for a midfielder heading into the summer transfer window amid Idrissa Gueye’s advancing age. In addition, Abdoulaye Doucoure will likely depart from the Merseyside club after the 2024/25 season ends. So, Rohl has emerged as a viable target for Everton.
As for Crystal Palace, Cheick Doucoure has struggled with fitness issues. In addition, Adam Wharton is a target for Premier League bigwigs, even though he is reportedly committed to the South London club. So, Crystal Palace can do with a new midfielder, with Rohl an option worth considering.
Meanwhile, the SC Freiburg midfielder will not cost a bomb, with the Bundesliga club demanding around €25 million to part ways with him. So, it will be interesting to see if an adventure in the Premier League is on the cards for the 22-year-old German whizkid.
