In what could be a repeat of Michael Olise’s departure to Bayern Munich last summer, Barcelona have held talks to sign a Crystal Palace star who’s yet to sign a new deal at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace transfer news
It took a couple of months for the Eagles to adjust to life without Olise, but Oliver Glasner can now say with confidence that their season is well and truly underway, albeit with one cautious eye on the dropzone. The summer transfer window, in the face of such a departure, proved to be a difficult one even as the likes of Ismaila Sarr and Maxence Lacroix arrived.
Now, with the January transfer window approaching and a few too many question marks surrounding their ability to stay afloat in the Premier League, it will be interesting to see if Palace welcome a number of reinforcements. Already, they’ve been linked with the likes of James McAtee and Romain Esse – two midfielders who would add an injection of quality in Glasner’s side.
As reinforcements potentially arrive, however, the exit door could swing open once more to deal those at Selhurst Park another blow in 2025. According to Caught Offside, Barcelona are now plotting a move to sign Tyrick Mitchell alongside the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, having already held talks with the left-back.
With his contract set to come to an end in the summer and reports suggesting that he’s not keen to commit his long-term future in South London, Mitchell’s departure seems an inevitability – handing Palace quite the decision to make.
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If Palace decide to wait until the summer, then they will lose Mitchell for free unless anything changes on the contract front. So if clubs come calling as early as the January transfer window, then the Eagles may well be wise to cash in on their defender.
"Consistent" Mitchell would be a frustrating loss
For Mitchell to reach this point in his contract is a failure in itself for Crystal Palace, who simply did not commence talks early enough to avoid the panic that they now find themselves in. An important player under Glasner and a rising star who the Eagles would usually be guaranteed to at least cash in on, they’ll likely be left with no choice but to watch one of their prized assets leave as a free agent when the summer arrives.
Glasner will be among those most frustrated if that does prove to be the case, having praised Mitchell earlier this month. The Palace manager told reporters as relayed by BBC Sport: “The biggest potential he has is in possession.
“Entering the final third, I think he can be involved more and have quicker solutions. This is what we are working on daily with him. He is very consistent, he is always available and plays to a high level.”
It’s consistency that Barcelona have seemingly taken notice of too and as Mitchell’s contract continues to run down, he looks like a player to watch when 2025 arrives.