It's been an interesting season for Crystal Palace this year and a particularly interesting last couple of months.
The Eagles have seen Roy Hodgson replaced by the tremendously exciting Oliver Glasner, and while his appointment brought a lot of hope, there have still been a few disappointing results.
That said, the Austrian has had to deal with plenty of injuries, including star defender Marc Guéhi, who has been out of action since the 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Englishman is one of the most crucial players in the squad and, based on recent reports, could have a new defensive partner in the summer.
Latest Crystal Palace transfer news
According to a report from Football Insider late last week, Palace are one of several clubs in a race to sign Queens Park Rangers' star defender Jake Clarke-Salter in the summer transfer window.
The report mentions fellow Premier League sides Burnley and Bournemouth, as well as Scottish giants Celtic, as the other interested parties. While the south Londoners might have the edge over their top-flight competitors, the promise of European football at Parkhead may be tough to compete with.
That said, Glasner was known for playing progressive and exciting football in Germany and even led Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022, so his presence at Selhurst Park could be significant as this transfer race heats up.
There have been no reports regarding how much a deal might cost at this point, but Football Transfers' Expected Value Model currently prices the 26-year-old at just €1.1m, which is about £1m.
While the actual fee is likely to be considerably more than that, it does indicate that this move is unlikely to break the bank for the Eagles and could be a bargain for a player who could partner Guéhi for years to come.
How Clarke-Salter could partner Guéhi
So the first thing to note is that with Guéhi and Joachim Andersen both being right-footed centre-backs, the former Chelsea man has had to start on the left for the majority of games the pair have played together and, while he's still been brilliant, it's not ideal.
However, Clarke-Salter is left-footed; therefore, if he signed for the club, he could move to the left and provide a better balance at the centre of defence.
That said, while this added balance would be an undeniable benefit, how do the underlying numbers of the QPR wall compare to those of the Palace stars?
Well, somewhat surprisingly, the "absolutely outstanding" defender, as former manager Mark Robins described him, comes out on top in several key defensive metrics, such as tackles won, tackles and interceptions, and aerial duels won, while coming at least second in the others, all per 90.
Passing Accuracy
82.7%
78.8%
86.6%
Tackles Won
1.46
0.90
0.80
Tackles + Interceptions
3.41
2.58
2.08
Blocks
1.01
0.94
1.04
Dispossessed
0.07
0.19
0.09
Ball Recoveries
4.49
4.45
5.28
Aerial Duels Won
3.15
2.13
1.37
Now, there is an argument to be made that he is playing in a much weaker league, but the counterargument is that he's playing in a much weaker team as well.
Ultimately, this deal has an element of risk regarding his ability to step up to the Premier League. Still, if the fee is remotely close to his value per Football Transfers, it looks like a risk worth taking, especially if the 6 foot 2 titan can form a partnership with Guéhi.
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