“A perfect fit” – Crystal Palace eyeing Southampton transfer swoop: The verdict

FLW’s verdict on Crystal Palace’s reported interest in Southampton’s Che Adams

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Crystal Palace have made an enquiry about the availability of Che Adams.

According to Sky Sports (14/07, 15.50), the Premier League side are interested in signing the Scotland international.

Adams has just one-year remaining on his current Southampton contract, which has raised doubts over his future on the south coast.

Should Southampton cash-in on summer interest in Che Adams?

However, Palace do face competition from the likes of Fulham in the race to sign the 27-year-old.

Adams scored five and assisted three goals last season in the top flight as the Saints suffered relegation to the Championship.

Here we ask our FLW writers their verdict on whether Southampton should look to cash-in on this interest in Adams this summer…

Declan Harte

Adams is a Premier League calibre player that can contribute well to a good attacking system.

At Southampton he struggled at times when asked to lead the line, which he wasn’t quite capable of without the right support around him.

He should be able to get that at Palace, with a lot of exciting attacking talent playing out wide at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles might be a perfect fit for Adams to get back to his best after a disappointing season with the Saints.

While he will never be the most prolific forward, his hard work off the ball and his positive link-up play will make him a useful asset to have in a squad.

Adams should be the perfect foil for the likes of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, and could be a strong replacement for Jordan Ayew.

It also makes the most sense for Southampton to cash-in at this stage.

The Scotland international’s contract is set to expire in 12 months, so he could leave as a free agent in 2024 if a renewal isn’t agreed.

Given Premier League interest, you imagine he’d be keen on a return to the top flight.

So a departure should work out for all parties, and Southampton would do well to earn a figure close to £10 million for the forward.

This would also allow Russell Martin to build a new attack around a central figure of his own if he is able to reinvest that money back into the squad.

Chris Gallagher

This could be the right move for all parties.

Adams would be a very good player in the Championship, as he’s proven in the past, and in an ideal world, Martin would want to use the striker, as his mobility and work-rate would make him a good fit for his team.

However, the reality is that with Adams entering the final year of his contract, a summer move is inevitable. The Saints won’t want to risk losing the Scotland international on a free, whilst the player will be keen on returning to the Premier League.

Adams will surely see Palace as a club where he can get game time, and he would be another attacking threat for an Eagles side that have lacked goals over the years.

So, this is one you could see happening, and Southampton will have to accept a decent offer to avoid losing him on a free in 12 months.