Crystal Palace are on the brink of completing the signing of Lazio midfielder Daichi Kamada as a free agent this month.
Talks regarding extending Daichi Kamada’s stay at Lazio collapsed after he showed unwillingness to accept a £17 million release clause in his new contract. Despite the Serie A side meeting the creative midfielder’s salary demands, the release clause was a sticking point. This has reportedly opened the door for Crystal Palace to swoop in and bring the Japanese international to Selhurst Park.
Oliver Glasner, Kamada’s former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, has been the driving factor behind his potential signing. The Japanese midfielder, 27, made his name in European football while playing for Eintracht Frankfurt, making 179 appearances across five seasons. Although he has made 38 appearances for Lazio, the creative midfielder hasn’t really been a regular starter and only managed four goal contributions this past campaign.
Oliver Glasner keen to reunite with Daichi Kamada at Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner took charge of Crystal Palace back in 2022 and he has done a fantastic job. He made a massive impact in his first 13 games at the helm of the club, not only bringing back smiles to the Palace faithful but also instilling a free-flowing, attacking style of football that saw his team score plenty of goals and beat big sides such as Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Aston Villa.
The south London side were reeling in 16th place and just five points above the relegation zone when Glasner replaced Roy Hodgson, but a run of six wins and one draw in their final seven games helped them soar into the top 10. The Austrian tactician now wants to strengthen his squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Having potentially wrapped up their first summer signing in the form of Morocco defender Chadi Riad earlier this week, Palace are closing in on Daichi Kamada. Glasner knows Kamada well from their time together at Frankfurt and feels the player would add a lot of value to his squad. The Japanese midfielder’s playing style and qualities make him a tactically sound investment for the Eagles.
The 27-year-old’s addition would significantly bolster Palace’s attacking options, providing tactical flexibility and depth. With Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze already on the radar of Premier League bigwigs, the arrival of Kamada would warrant depth and invention in midfield. The Japanese international’s potential acquisition, driven by Glasner’s working experience with the player, demonstrates a clever and measured approach to squad building.
All in all, the pursuit of Kamada is a sign of things changing for Palace under Glasner.
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