If reports are to be believed, Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Southampton are fiercely competing to land Liga NOS star Andre Almeida as the transfer season is scheduled to close in three weeks. The right-back plays for defending champions Benfica, who are reluctant to leave their star player after his emergence as a potential replacement for the departed Nelson Semedo.
According to reports, the Portuguese international is priced at a meagre £8 million that is easily afforded by most Premier League clubs, which makes the competition more intense. The 26-year-old displayed a solid performance in Benfica’s 3-1 win over Guimares in the Portuguese Super Cup, in which he was named the man-of-the-match.
He has also played as a defensive midfielder previously and a left-back, which makes him quite versatile in the defensive third. Both the Eagles and the Saints are in dire need of such utility players that can provide an extra cushion during the counters. Following the departure of Mamadou Sakho and Sam Allardyce, Palace have become a highly uncertain side.
The arrival of Frank De Boer has evoked mixed reaction from fans and critics alike and it’s clear that the Dutch gaffer doesn’t command respect at Selhurst Park, yet. The way he starts the campaign will be closely monitored. De Boer has brought in young Jairo Riedewald from AFC Ajax, who although exciting, doesn’t fill the shoes of Sakho for sure. Getting in Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek on loan could take them a long way in the league though, but Palace would still need quality options from wide areas.
Following the heavy arrivals in January that Allardyce had to make over Alan Pardew’s squad, Palace have largely been quiet this summer. Both their right-backs, Joel Ward and Martin Kelly, are hardworking but they have often been asked to play in the central defence last season and would need some competition for the fullback’s role. Almeida could bring in exactly that although it isn’t clear if Benfica would let him go with the season starting next week.
Reportedly, the Portuguese champions have been quite persistent in keep him and have even offered him a new contract. However, the player’s strong urge to make it big in the Premier League will be difficult to break. The way he used his experience and technique to adapt to the full-back position has been worth applauding and now with Semedo gone, Benfica would find it difficult to get a replacement so fast.
