Earlier this week, we covered a brief article in La Provence that listed clubs who had sent scouts to Bordeaux-Marseille last weekend.
Newcastle and Southampton were there, as were Crystal Palace, but we omitted the Eagles as we weren’t entirely sure who they could be looking at, as their current situation is hardly the most attractive for two teams vying for European spots over in France.
However, Foot01.com on Friday suggest one man might have been the reason for their trip, and that’s Marseille midfielder Morgan Sanson.
The France U21 international has been a revelation in Ligue 1 over the past two years or so, which is why many were surprised Rudi Garcia’s side managed to get him for just under €10m from Montpellier.
Now worth far more, the 23-year-old could, down the line, be a prime target for Premier League clubs, like Crystal Palace, although you’d expect him to aim a little bit higher than a team who have ended up in the bottom half the past two years.
While the dark clouds of Florian Thauvin and Rémy Cabella still loom large over recruiting in the French league, there’s something different about Morgan Sanson that makes him a far more suitable candidate.
His ability to both defend and attack with ease, as well as his mobility, make him an ideal box-to-box midfielder for a lot of teams in England.
And if Crystal Palace manage to sort themselves out before the end of the season, and present him with a good project, they could end up with a very interesting player on their hands.
A bit like the Yohan Cabaye Newcastle got back in the day.
