Crystal Palace’s pursuit of Angers forward Sidiki Cherif has stalled, with the club now facing significant obstacles in their attempts to complete a deal.
RMC Sport report that negotiations have ground to a halt, with Palace frustrated by the involvement of multiple English intermediaries, which they believe has prevented talks from moving forward in any meaningful way.
The Eagles are actively searching for a new striker after Jean-Philippe Mateta informed the club that he wants to leave Selhurst Park. That situation has been complicated by recent changes behind the scenes, with former captain Marc Guehi sold to Manchester City for £20 million and manager Oliver Glasner confirming he will step down at the end of the season.
Despite their reluctance to lose Mateta so soon after Guehi’s departure, Palace are aware that the striker is drawing interest from both domestic and overseas clubs. Their initial plan was to line up a replacement before agreeing to any exit, and Cherif quickly emerged as a leading candidate.
Personal terms had already been settled with the 19-year-old, who has impressed since breaking into Angers’ first team. A product of the club’s academy, Cherif has made a strong impact in his first full season in Ligue 1.
Operating alongside Himad Abdelli, he has added pace, energy and composure in front of goal to an Angers side battling to hold their own in the division. His return of four goals from 19 league appearances has been enough to catch the eye of Premier League scouts.
Palace appeared close to striking a deal worth around €20 million, but progress has since stalled. With talks now complicated by outside involvement, the South London club are beginning to look elsewhere as they reassess their options.