Crystal Palace could revisit a deal for Djibril Sow in the January transfer window, according to The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam. 

The lowdown

Woosnam says that Palace made contact over a potential deal for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Sow on Transfer Deadline Day.

The Eagles had identified him as an alternative should they fail to conclude a deal for Conor Gallagher, who wound up staying at Chelsea.

Sow, 25, is under contract at Frankfurt until the end of next season, having arrived in the summer of 2019.

The latest

Woosnam reports Palace got in touch but Sow indicated that he wants to play Champions League football.

Frankfurt qualified for the group stages of the competition after winning last season’s Europa League and will compete in it until at least November.

‘A deal could be easier to conclude in January,’ Woosnam says, especially if they’ve been eliminated by then.

The verdict

Sow looks like an appealing mid-season option for Palace.

He offers versatility in the middle of the park, capable of playing as not only a central midfielder but also as a DM and AM at times.

The Swiss starlet reads the game exceptionally well, ranking in the 90th percentile among positional peers in the big five leagues for interceptions per 90 (via FBRef).

Statistically similar in profile to Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz and Liverpool’s Fabinho, he’s an ‘all-round midfielder’ who can thrive in the ‘engine room’, in the words of journalist Ronan Murphy.