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Bargain: Palace target’s market value is roughly half of what Eagles want to spend – opinion

According to Dutch outlet Voetbal Primeur, Crystal Palace target Joakim Maehle has a market value of around €9m (£7.7m).

What’s the word, then?

Well, that seems remarkably cheap for the right-back who is also being looked at by Southampton.

Maehle is a Champions League player who has made six appearances in Europe’s greatest club competition this season, while also racking up 18 appearances for Genk in the Jupiler Pro League – he also scored twice for Denmark’s U21 side at the EURO U21 tournament back in the summer.

The 22-year-old can also play at left-back having made one appearance in that position this season, while featuring more regularly on the right side of defence – the Danish defender has appeared five times in that role.

Crystal Palace could do with a right-back as Joel Ward is their only natural option in that role, and he is currently out injured with Martin Kelly – who seems far more comfortable at centre-back – covering for him.

Would mean Maehle costs roughly half of what Palace want to spend

According to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge, the south Londoners have set aside £15m for each full-back position, while there is an emphasis on signing players under the age of 23 – a category that Maehle falls into.

“Palace are likely to be busy in January and are targeting three positions in particular, with a focus on players under the age of 23. They want additions both at right-back and left-back, and a mobile centre-forward – and decent funds will be available. They could spend around £25m on a striker and have around £15m each allocated for full-backs.”

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Even more interestingly, Voetbal Primeur’s nugget of information that reveals the Dane’s market value means that Palace would potentially only need to spend around half of their allocated full-back budget on Maehle, ensuring that they get a Champions League quality player added to their ranks as well as one who would mean they have money left over.

Impressively, Maehle registered four goals and ten assists in all competitions last season, and while he has only scored once this season, it looks like Palace would be getting a bargain if they can sign this calibre of player for somewhere in the region of his market value.

In other news, this Crystal Palace target – who only Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew win more fouls than – would help Hodgson out hugely in defence…

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