According to recent reports, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Newcastle United and West Ham United are all interested in a summer move for Crystal Palace midfielder James McCarthy.
The reports by 90min state that all four clubs interested have ‘spoken to Palace about McCarthy’, with a view to making a move for the 29-year-old this summer.
It is also reported that West Ham manager David Moyes and Newcastle boss Steve Bruce ‘have been tracking McCarthy for a long time’, while Villa ‘added McCarthy to their wish list’ after securing their Premier League safety on the final day of the season, and that Leeds consider the midfielder to be the ‘perfect player to add some Premier League experience’ to their squad ahead of their first top-flight campaign for 16 years.
McCarthy joined Palace from Everton in what was reported to be an £8 million deal last summer and went on to feature 33 times for the Eagles in the Premier League, averaging a slightly disappointing WhoScored match rating of 6.42/10 – ranking him as the club’s 18th-best performer last term.
The midfielder is also under contract for another two years in south London, and Palace are reported to want ‘the vast amount’ of the £8 million fee they paid for McCarthy to be ‘reimbursed’ in order for them to be willing to sell.
However, it is stated that this would ‘be no issue’ for the interested clubs, all of whom believe that McCarthy ‘has a lot to offer as a Premier League player’.
TIF Thoughts…
With it being reported that Palace are attempting to ‘recruit younger players in this summer’s transfer window’ in a bid to ‘reduce the average age of their squad’, moving on the 29-year-old McCarthy for a fee of anywhere near £8 million has to be considered good business, as the player is currently valued at £3.60 million.
Would you be happy for Palace to sell McCarthy this summer?
Yes
No
As such, it is our belief that Palace should indeed let the Irish international leave this summer and then reinvest the money received for the player into a younger prospect.