Crystal Palace set to complete free signing of Lazio’s Daichi Kamada | OneFootball

According to Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace are set to complete the free signing of Daichi Kamada from Lazio.

The free transfer will be Kamada’s second in consecutive seasons, having joined Lazio on a one-year deal following the expiration of his contract at Frankfurt last summer.

The majority of the Japan international’s time in Italy hasn’t gone as expected, as he started just seven of Mauricio Sarri’s 28 league games in charge. As such, despite new head coach Igor Tudor wanting Kamada to stay after starting him in all nine of his matches, the two parties were unable to find an agreement to extend his contract.

So, With Oliver Glasner keen on re-signing his former player, Palace have now reached a verbal agreement with Kamada, who just needs to undergo a medical before officially penning a contract with The Eagles.

Playing in either a deeper midfield two or more often one of two attacking midfielders behind a striker in Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 formation, the 27-year-old was a pivotal member of the Austrian managers’ 2022 Europa League winning Frankfurt side.

Kamada scored 25 and assisted 12 In 93 appearances under Glasner, standing out with his excellent progressive play, whether it be with incisive line-breaking passes into forwards, gliding past defenders with the ball at his feet, or receiving passes himself in pockets of space in between the lines.

Meanwhile, his intelligent, intense pressing and endless energy will make for a seamless transition into the intensity of the Premier League, as he joins a Palace side looking to continue their form from the end of last season.

The London club beat the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, and Aston Villa as they won six and drew one in the last seven of Glasner’s total 13 games as head coach, performances that, if sustained, could see them challenge for European football next season.

Travis Levison | Get Football