Repeatedly this summer Premier League clubs have been asked to pay over the odds when chasing players. Often they do, happy to pay an extra 20% or so to get a deal over the line.
It’s not always the case, and some clubs around Europe have been left shocked by tough negotiating from England, and that extends to the Championship as well.
RB Leipzig are obviously hoping for something different with Crystal Palace. On Thursday Sport Witness covered claims from German magazine Kickre that Crystal Palace are keen on former Nottingham Forest player Oliver Burke.
Burke moved from Nottingham Forest to RB Leipzig during the last summer transfer window for around €15m, and RB don’t want to make a loss when selling him.
That’s despite Burke having ‘big deficits in his tactical understanding’ since arriving at RB from Nottingham Forest. Such a snipe seems a slightly lazy dismissal of British football.
Indeed, if Burke has been such a disaster and is so limited, then surely RB would sell for what they can get, however, Bild believe Crystal Palace will be asked for €18m.
The German newspaper say 20 year old Burke is likely going back to English football, according to their own information. Frank de Boer’s Crystal Palace are named as a ‘hot candidate’, and are the only option presented.
Bild say RB paid Nottingham Forest a total of €15.2m, and their original price tag on Burke this summer was €20m. However, after a disappointing match against Dorfmerkingen, he can now leave for €18m.
Crystal Palace should go in with the €15.2m.