June 27 2024

Daichi Kamada

Since Oliver Glasner's appointment in February, Crystal Palace has been a force to be reckoned with, writes John Winter.

A tenth-place finish, their highest points tally for a Premier League season, and resounding victories over Manchester United and Aston Villa have filled fans with hope for next season.

Eze, Olise, and Wharton have been revelations under Glasner, and Jean-Philippe Mateta's incredible goal-scoring form towards the end of the season will undoubtedly spark interest from some of Europe's top clubs.

Holding on to their best players will be a priority, and adding additional quality could see the club pushing for a European position next year.

Major bookmakers in the United Kingdom have the Eagles priced at 33/1 to break into the top four. While that might be a tough ask, it is not impossible.

However, betting expert Peter Addison recommends betting sites that offer a variety of markets, and a more realistic bet might be for Palace to finish in the top 6 or compete for a cup. A strong squad will help with this.

One man who could be set to help them move to the next level is Japan International Daichi Kamada. If Kamada agrees on personal terms, he will be moving to Selhurst Park on a free transfer after just one season at Lazio following his move from Eintracht Frankfurt.

It is rumoured that Kamada was released after demanding a multi-million Euro bonus to sign a contract extension. Quick, skilful, and attack-minded, he can be deployed in a number of forward positions and his ability with both feet could make him a valuable asset.

Glasner already knows the player well from his time at Eintracht Frankfurt and he was part of the team that won the Europa League in 2022.

Being able to sign a player with a market value of around £18 million on a free transfer would be great business for Palace, especially with teams having to adhere to financial fair play rules.

The player will be 28 when the Premier League kicks off in August, an age when a player like this should be at the peak of their career. A good season in the Premiership would also see his value skyrocket, which will be another reason that Palace are so keen to get him to put pen to paper.

Two goals and 2 assists in 29 games for Lazio might not sound that impressive, but he was mostly deployed as a central midfielder, even dropping back to a defensive midfield role in one game.

This displays his versatility and he was also able to get valuable Champion's League experience before helping Lazio to a 7th place finish and earning them another spot in Europe.

European qualification should be the target for Glasner, and new signings like Kamada will give him a much better chance of attaining success. The success of other English teams in Europe would also open up more European places, and there is also the possibility of some kind of silverware through the league or FA Cup.

Palace fans will be sure to check out the best odds for their league finish or cup victories, with online betting sites like these offering a variety of markets.