Crystal Palace Lodge £16m Bid for Lille Defender as Injury Problems Mount

Crystal Palace have submitted a £16m bid for Lille defender Ibrahim Amadou, according to Sky Sports. 

The Eagles, who are said to have held talks with the player last January, have renewed their interest, despite having a new manager at the helm, and are now ready to bring the player to Selhurst Park.

Roy Hodgson, who took over the reins earlier this season, has seen injuries mount within his squad and is desperate to sign reinforcements.

The manager lost both Scott Dann and Jason Puncheon to serious knee injuries in the 0-0 draw against Manchester City. He is believed to have set his sights on bringing in some more players this month to soften the blow, with only three centre-backs available for selection at the moment.

Mamadou Sakho's calf injury leaves James Tomkins, Martin Kelly and Damien Delaney the only fit defenders in the Palace squad. Given their issues, snatching Amadou from Lille could go a long way.

The manager has since admitted that there will be discussions over transfers, given the current circumstances.

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"The subject of signing another centre-back has never come up because we weren't expecting Sakho and Dann to be out for long periods of time," he said last week.

"But who knows now? There will be discussions. Football is an ever-revolving subject. What you think is good in your team at one time suddenly a moment in time changes it all."

Hodgson's arrival seems to have steadied the ship at Palace. Yet despite their position in 14th place on the Premier League table, the drop zone is only two points away.