According to recent reports, both Crystal Palace and Brighton are monitoring Wigan Athletic midfielder Sam Morsy.
The reports in the Daily Star state that the Premier League rivals are keeping a close eye on the 28-year-old midfielder, who has scored three goals and provided two assists over 38 appearances in Championship this season.
The Daily Star also report that Wigan’s recent entering into administration and subsequent 12-point deduction (which is applied this season if they finish outside the Championship’s bottom three) has plunged the club into uncertainty both on and off the pitch, with ‘Premier League vultures’ already ‘circling over the troubled club’.
As such, it would appear that the £1.08 million-rated player could be available for a reduced fee this summer, something which would likely interest both Palace and Brighton, following the financial impact on football clubs caused by the viral pandemic.
And, the potential signing could indeed be considered somewhat of a bargain, as the Egypt international has impressed throughout Wigan’s Championship campaign.
Predominantly being fielded in a defensive midfield role, Morsy’s strengths of tackling and blocking the ball have been evident, with the 28-year-old averaging 2.2 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game in the Championship this term, contributing to an average WhoScored match rating of 6.88.
TIF Thoughts…
Despite Morsy’s fine form for Wigan, the argument could be made that Palace do not particularly need to strengthen in the centre of midfield, with Roy Hodgson currently having Luka Milivojevic, Cheikhou Kouyate, James McArthur, James McCarthy and Jairo Riedewald – who can all operate from either defensive midfield or central midfield – in his first-team squad.
Would you like to see Palace make a move for Morsy this summer?
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However, with the financial factors in the potential deal likely being quite affordable for Palace, if Hodgson simply wants more depth in the position, or even to move one of the aforementioned players on this summer, then Morsy could indeed be an affordable addition or replacement.