Crystal Palace have started “talks” with Arsenal about signing West Ham transfer target Reiss Nelson, according to CaughtOffside.com.
The website claims that the Eagles are seeking a replacement for Michael Olise, whose release clause is expected to be triggered before the end of the summer.
It is believed they have identified Nelson as the Frenchman’s successor and they are keen on securing his services ahead of other interested clubs.
The Hammers, Fulham and Nottingham Forest are also said to be keen on the 24-year-old, who is pressing to leave the Emirates after getting limited game time last season.
Arsenal’s asking price could still help West Ham
The Gunners have reportedly slapped a £20m asking price on Nelson, but CaughtOffside say that Palace may only make an opening bid of around €10m (£8.5m).
That is a sizeable gap between the two club’s valuations of the player, so the Irons could still have a chance of snapping him up if they are prepared to match Arsenal’s demands.
Nelson is not the only winger being targeted
Despite sealing the signature of Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras last week, technical director Tim Steiditen is thought to be looking at strengthening the club’s options in wide areas even further.
West Ham hold a concrete interest in Juventus’s Matias Soule, while the likes of Vitoria Guimaraes’ Jota Silva, Fluminense’s Jhon Arias and Barcelona’s Ferran Torres have also been mentioned as potential targets.
A lot may depend on the transfer fee, though. Nelson is likely to be more expensive than Jota or Arias but he would be a cheaper addition than either Soule or Torres.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano said last week that Juve want as much as €40m (£34m) for Soule, while Torres is believed to be valued at around £30m by Barca.
