Crystal Palace have a lot of work to do on their squad if they are to compete for a place in the top half of the table next season. Roy Hodgson is busy looking for players who can add quality to his side and one name now doing the rounds of Selhurst Park is Diego Laxalt.
Having risen to fame with his tireless efforts for Uruguay at the World Cup recently, the 25-year old first moved to Italy with Inter Milan and spent time out on loan with Bologna, Empoli and Genoa, settling at the latter on a permanent deal in 2016.
He took no time to establish himself in the first team at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, making 36 league appearances in his first season. He only showed progress in his game last season, picking up three goals and three assists, in 32 Serie A starts.
He was used as a wing-back at Genoa last season, but worked hard for his national side at left-back, showing great versatility in his game. A tank of energy, Laxalt is strong in hold up play and is a hard man to beat on the wing. He covers a lot of ground down his flank and has a mean cross in his feet, often troubling the best of the defence in Italy.
He is quick and can dribble past players with ease but what makes him dangerous is his ability to create chances, even as he adds stability to the backline. At just 25, he has already gathered a lot of experience at the highest level and is certainly ready for the rigours of the Premier League.
But reports suggest that Crystal Palace are not the only club interested in his services. Benfica, Valencia, Wolfsburg and Galatasaray are all closely monitoring Laxalt after his World Cup performances. He is valued at around €15m- £20m, which should not be a problem for any of those clubs, so Palace should act fast if they are to lure him to London.
Hodgson has Patrick van Aanholt and Jeffery Schlupp in his side, who play a similar role but Laxalt is more versatile and can be effective in a slightly attacking role. The English manager often used a 4-4-2 system and the Uruguay international can be a real asset on the left flank in the midfield.
At just 25, he is only going to improve and could be a real match winner for Palace. But do you think the Eagles can fend off interests from other clubs to land him this summer?
