Crystal Palace Make £8.9m Bid for Roma Star as Roy Hodgson Ramps Up Preparations for New Season

Crystal Palace look finally ready make a venture into the transfer window this summer, bidding £8.9m for Roma midfielder Maxime Gonalons.

Palace have been looking for a replacement for Yohan Cabaye, who left to join Arabian Gulf side Al Nasr when his contract ended over the summer. Sky Sports have reported that Gonalons is now the frontrunner to take his place at Selhurst Park, with Roy Hodgson's side submitting a bid.

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Despite an underwhelming debut season for Roma, the defensive midfielder has impressed previously at Olympique Lyon, where he made over 300 appearances and earned seven caps for the French national team.

After only 16 appearances for Roma's midfield last season, it seems that I Giallorossi will not object to part ways with the 28-year-old Frenchman. Eagles fans shouldn't head to the airport just yet, as Crystal Palace may face stiff competition for the player seeing that he's on the radar of several other Premier League clubs.

Palace boss Hodgson in on the lookout for several players to strengthen his midfield, after also losing England international Ruben Loftus-Cheek who has returned to Chelsea following his loan spell. The club is said to be in negotiations with West Ham for Cheikhou Kouyate, who has reportedly been valued at £10m.

It has been a slow summer for the Eagles as they have seen only one new player join the team thus far, picking up keeper Vicente Guaita on a free transfer. Palace are set to continue their pre-season preparations as they gear up to face Reading and Toulouse in the coming week.