Exclusive: Brighton and Crystal Palace Set for Transfer Battle Over El Hadji Malick Diouf

Rivals Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace are set to battle it out for Senegalese international El Hadji Malick Diouf this summer. 

Slavia Prague rejected two bids from Palace, the highest in the region of £15million, during the January transfer window.

SportsBoom sources understand the club want to secure a Czech record fee, which is the £17.4million West Ham United paid for Tomas Soucek in 2020.

The 20-year-old is one of the highest-rated left wing-backs in Europe and is set to leave Sparta this summer for a hefty fee.

The Seagulls and Palace are not the only Premier League teams interested in the young defender, who is under contract until 2028. 

Nottingham Forest and Brentford, who have had issues in the position with Rico Henry’s persistent injury problems, also admirers of the player.

Liverpool were previously linked with a move for the player, as a potential replacement for Scottish veteran Andy Robertson, but it is understood that interest has cooled from the league leaders.

A number of European clubs are also vying for the player’s signature and could scupper a move to the Premier League. 

READY TO JUMP

Diouf made the move to Europe when he joined Norway club Tromso in 2023 and was snapped up by Slavia Prague for approximately £2million in January 2024.

And he caught the eye of potential suitors with his appearances in the Champions League and Europa League for the Czech big guns.

Diouf suffered a fibula fracture in the Prague derby against Sparta last month. 

But the player is said to be progressing quicker than expected ahead of a move when the window reopens.