Crystal Palace transfer news: 'Irresistible offer' launched for Ligue 1 midfielder

Not for sale this transfer window, unless an 'irresistible offer' arrives, Kevin Danois is the subject of a major push from Crystal Palace, which would represent a club-record sale for Auxerre. Will the Burgundy side cave and part with their new captain?

The Eagles' approach is far from a simple enquiry. According to information from Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace are actively negotiating with Auxerre over a transfer for Kevin Danois, worth around £24.8 million, plus add-ons.

A fee that, for a club the size of Auxerre, would completely change the accounting picture of the summer window.

The English club are targeting a specific profile: a box-to-box midfielder capable of providing energy and physical presence in the middle of the pitch, exactly what Danois demonstrated last season in Ligue 1.

That said, Auxerre are not in the position of a desperate seller. The player has not been placed on the market, but an offer of this scale changes the nature of the conversation internally.

Danois, the box-to-box profile that has won over Crystal Palace

Danois' style of play explains the interest: a midfielder capable of covering large areas of the pitch, strong in ball recovery (an average of 4.85 duels won per match last season), with the ability to play cleanly out from the back under pressure (85.35 per cent pass accuracy).

That kind of profile fits the needs of a club like Crystal Palace, competing in the Europa League and looking to add physicality to their midfield without sacrificing quality on the ball.

At 22, Danois also ticks the box of room for further development, a factor that carries significant weight in the £25 million valuation put forward by the English side.

The armband he now wears at Auxerre adds an extra layer to the negotiation: beyond the player himself, it represents a symbol of continuity the club would have to sacrifice in the event of a transfer.

Danois himself emphasised the collective mindset ahead of the new season: 'We are very eager for the league to get back underway. We need to be hungry, and that needs to show on the pitch.' But Danois' summer may well be decided just as much, if not more, behind the scenes.

A high-stakes summer window for Crystal Palace

Pierre Sage, who arrived this summer to replace Oliver Glasner, is dealing with a fairly quiet start to the transfer window at Selhurst Park.

Having won the Conference League last season, the Eagles have confirmed several signings, including winger Anan Khalaili from Union Saint-Gilloise for £21 million, Everton's Dwight McNeil for £22 million, free-transfer arrivals Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oscar Mingueza, American full-back Zavier Gozo from Real Salt Lake, and a loan move for Chelsea's Axel Disasi, without an option to buy.

At the same time, the club's sporting management are resisting approaches for Adam Wharton after Maxence Lacroix's departure to Chelsea.

A £24.8 million transfer would therefore stand out as an exception in what has otherwise been a measured window so far, though one consistent with the club's ambition to strengthen the squad ahead of a demanding season across the Premier League and Europa League.