Crystal Palace Pursues £25M Deal for AC Milan Defender Strahinja Pavlovic

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is setting his sights on AC Milan center-back Strahinja Pavlovic in an ambitious £25 million transfer bid. The Serbian defender, who regularly features in Milan’s Serie A and Champions League campaigns, has caught Glasner’s attention as a potential reinforcement for Palace’s backline.

The 23-year-old Pavlovic, who joined Milan from RB Salzburg last summer, is seen as both immediate competition and a possible long-term successor to Marc Guehi. Palace’s interest comes in the wake of Trevoh Chalobah’s departure and Chadi Riad’s injury, leaving the team in need of defensive cover.

While Milan may hold out for a higher fee of around £35 million, Palace has the financial means to make a competitive offer. Should the Pavlovic deal prove too costly, the Eagles are also considering Tiago Djalo, currently on loan at Porto from Juventus, as an alternative option.

In addition to bolstering their defense, Palace is showing interest in Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell. However, the left-back’s weekly wages of £185,000 could be a stumbling block for the club.

Glasner is also monitoring Lyon’s talented 21-year-old midfielder Rayan Cherki, a long-standing target for the club.

As Crystal Palace prepares to face Manchester United at Old Trafford, they currently sit 13th in the Premier League table. A victory would see them overtake their opponents and climb to 12th place.