Augsburg have rejected a €25 million offer from Crystal Palace for Chrislain Matsima, with the two clubs still apart in their valuations of the defender.
Augsburg have rejected a €25 million offer from Crystal Palace for Chrislain Matsima, according to Florian Plettenberg, with the two clubs far apart on valuation for the 24-year-old centre-back. The Eagles are eager to sign defensive reinforcements following the agreement to sell Maxence Lacroix. Palace see Matsima as a rapid replacement for their lost defensive experience in the back line.
Crystal Palace find themselves in a situation where they need to rebuild their defensive ranks. Having lost Marc Guehi to Manchester City in January, they have now agreed to sell Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea, thus losing two of their starting back three in the space of six months.
There are reports of an agreement with Raphael Le Guen on personal terms, though Chibuike Nwaiwu appears close to joining Fulham, prompting Palace to pursue Matsima.
Augsburg Reject Crystal Palace’s €25m Matsima Bid
Crystal Palace held an interest in Chrislain Matsima, and Augsburg are eager to sell the centre-back for a record fee, which currently stands at the €26 million Chelsea paid for Abdul Rahman Baba in 2015.
Palace have the funds following the agreement to sell Lacroix and may have to return with another firm offer to test Augsburg’s resolve, though there is no confirmation they will do so, as the two clubs are understood to remain far apart on valuation.
Matsima carries experience at the top level and spent the last two seasons with Augsburg. The first stint was a loan; the move was made permanent last summer, with the centre-back making 18 league appearances for Augsburg last term.
Crystal Palace need defensive reinforcements
Irrespective of whether they return for Matsima, Palace are in dire need of defensive reinforcements, as their current options, apart from Chris Richards, are not experienced enough to sustain a full season. There may be a stylistic change following the arrival of Pierre Sage as Oliver Glasner’s replacement, which could determine whether they need more than one centre-back in this window.
Palace already had a reported agreement with Matsima on personal terms, and the question is whether they can match Augsburg’s asking price. Whether Palace can match Augsburg’s asking price remains unclear, but the clock is ticking as the window deadline approaches.
