Arsenal & Crystal Palace Reportedly Edging Closer to Agreeing Deal for Promising Defender
Arsenal are reportedly in contact with Crystal Palace over the transfer of centre back Calum Chambers - but the Gunners are holding out for a fee in the region of £25m.
Chambers spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough, and while racking up 24 appearances for the club, he managed to catch the eye of Palace - where newly appointed manager Frank de Boer is said to think he would fit in well in a 3-4-3 system.
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According to the Guardian, the clubs have discussed both the possibility of a loan deal and a permanent one, but Palace's initial offer - thought to be around £16m plus add-ons - fell way short of Arsenal valuation of the versatile defender.
Chambers, who Arsenal signed from Southampton for £16m in 2014, is looking for more regular football to boost his already slim chances of going to the World Cup next summer, and fancies a move away from the Gunners.
Arsene Wenger has told the 22-year-old that playing time will be hard to come by next season, with Rob Holding moving ahead of him in the Gunners' pecking order.
Palace are also looking into signing Ajax's Jaïro Riedewald. The centre-half has been linked with the club for a while, and it is thought that only minor details are needed to be ironed out before his announcement.
The Eagles' only signing so far this summer comes in the form of a loan deal for Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek, while Dutch defender Bruno Martins Indi is another name that's been floated about in a potential move to Selhurst Park.
