Crystal Palace Opinion: Why the Eagles should sign Seri on loan?

According to a report from Football London, Crystal Palace are interested in Fulham midfielder Jean Michael Seri, but they’ll face competition from AS Monaco and Galatasaray.

Jean Michael Seri, 27, was one of the marquee signings Fulham made last summer following their promotion to the Premier League. Many felt the Cottagers pulled off quite a coup at the time, with the Ivorian coveted by many big European clubs.

The midfielder however, struggled to make much of an impression as he featured in 32 Premier League matches with Fulham suffering relegation back to the Championship. Yet, that hasn’t stopped clubs vying for Seri’s signature and it is reported that Crystal Palace want to sign the midfielder on loan with an option to a permanent deal.

But as Seri favours a move back to France, the Eagles will have some convincing to do for the midfielder to change his mind and remain in England.

Roy Hodgson will be keen to bolster his squad this summer after another mid-table finish in the Premier League. Palace are yet to sign a player in the summer transfer window but have lost one of their last season’s standout performers in Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United. They need to start signing players in order to aim for a top-half finish next term.

Midfield has been an area for concern at Selhurst Park, with Hodgson lacking a creative presence. Expectations were really high when Max Meyer arrived at the club from Schalke on a free transfer last summer, but the German failed to set the world alight. It’ll be unjust to write off Meyer after just a season and Hodgson must keep faith in him.

With Luka Milivojevic having nailed down a place in the holding role, pairing Meyer with Seri could give Hodgson’s midfield a polished look. Seri would bring a much-needed calmness and balance to the Eagles’ midfield and help the team dominate more possession against bigger opponents, unlike last season.

Read More Crystal Palace news, click here: Crystal Palace latest news

The Ivorian is an all-action midfielder, known for his distribution skills, energy, tackling traits and ability to pick a pass. He demonstrated his ability at Nice when he was playing in a more organised set-up and would thrive in Hodgson’s compact system at Selhurst Park.

The 27-year-old’s first campaign in English football didn’t exactly go to plan, but he is a quality player and it would be foolish to write him off so quickly.

Verdict

The fact that Crystal Palace would like to sign Seri on loan before committing to a permanent deal bodes well. That way, if things work out for the ex-Nice man at Selhurst Park, Palace could sign the 27-year-old permanently.