Crystal Palace have submitted an improved bid of €25 million for Augsburg centre-back Chrislain Matsima, according to Sky Sports. The increased offer follows the rejection of an initial €20 million bid for the 24-year-old Frenchman, as Palace prepare for the potential departure of Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea.
Matsima joined Augsburg permanently from Monaco last summer for a fee of €5 million and has established himself as a key player for the Bundesliga side. Despite missing 15 games last season through injury, he returned to feature prominently as Augsburg secured a strong league finish. His performances over the past 18 months have attracted the attention of the Premier League club, and personal terms between Matsima and Palace have already been agreed.
Palace’s pursuit of Matsima comes with the expectation that Lacroix will complete a move to Chelsea. The transfer of Lacroix will leave a void in the Palace defence, and manager Oliver Glasner has identified Matsima as a suitable replacement. The increased bid signals Palace’s determination to secure the player ahead of the new season.
Augsburg’s record transfer fee remains the €26 million received from Chelsea for Abdul Rahman Baba in 2015. Should Palace’s €25 million bid be accepted, it would represent a significant profit for the German club and a substantial investment in defensive reinforcement for Palace. Augsburg continued their pre-season preparations on Saturday with a 1-1 draw against Saarbrücken, where Mert Kömür, linked with a move to Hull City, scored a notable goal directly from a corner.
The addition of Matsima would provide Palace with a physical and technically proficient defender, capable of playing both in a back four and in a three-man defensive system. His arrival would bolster their defensive options and provide competition for places as they aim to build on their recent Premier League form.
