Crystal Palace have completed a club-record £48m deal with Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Palace paid the striker a flat fee of £43m, plus £5m in potential add-ons.
Strand Larsen left Wolves, the club at the bottom of the Premier League, after 18 months. He scored 14 goals in the Premier League last season when Wolves remained in the Premier League under manager Vitor Pereira, but has only scored one this season.
Palace broke their transfer record twice in this period when they signed Brennan Johnson from Tottenham Hotspur.
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Check out Jorgen Strand Larsen’s best goals since joining Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Despite Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move from Palace to AC Milan falling through on deadline day following further medical checks on the French international, the deal for the Norwegian striker has been completed.
Mateta will remain in the Crystal Palace squad after the failed transfer, meaning he will be linked with Strand Larsen.
Palace also accepted a loan bid for Everton winger Dwight McNeil ahead of the deadline, with a letter of agreement submitted to complete the deal at the end of the deadline. The deal includes a buyout obligation for £20m, which will be triggered if certain conditions are met. Sky Sports News Their achievement is real.
Cara: Strand Larsen starts against Mateta at Palace
Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports:
“I think Strand Larsen is a good player, that’s why there’s so much interest in him. People aren’t buying him based on his performance this season.
“He’s playing in a really poor team and hasn’t played much lately, often on the substitute bench. I think the club would like to move him and bring in some money.”
Jorgen Strand Larsen’s Premier League career so far
“I watched him last season and he wasn’t a real top striker, but he certainly looked like a striker you wouldn’t associate with playing in the bottom half.
“He can definitely play in a team in the middle of the league. What stands out from last season is the goals, the non-penalty goals. It takes some effort to score 14 goals without penalties.”
“If Strand Larsen comes in, I think Mateta will be on the bench. I don’t think Crystal Palace are the type of team to play with two strikers.”
“They like their two No. 10s, which are big parts of their system. It will be interesting to see those two work on it.”
“They’ll be a handful. Mateta, regardless of how handful he is, his hold-up is really good. He’s missed a lot of big chances.”
Mateta needs to get back into the Palace team
James Savandra on Sky Sports News:
“Jean-Philippe Mateta was looking for a new challenge in this transfer window and his new challenge will be to return to the Crystal Palace squad.
“He will not leave Palace on deadline day. AC Milan were considering whether to go ahead with a contract with Mateta, but after medical tests they decided not to do so.”
“We know he is looking for something new, he wanted to be rewarded for his performances at Palace in the last two seasons, but only Erling Haaland has scored more goals than him.
“However, he is likely to stay as contract negotiations are still not progressing between Palace and Mateta. He still has 18 months left on his contract.”
