Crystal Palace offer up to £16m for Ibrahim Amadou but Lille refusing to sell

Wednesday 31 January 2018 21:39, UK

Crystal Palace have made an offer worth up to £16m for Ibrahim Amadou but Lille are now refusing to sell the defender, Sky Sports News understands.

Palace have offered to take the 24-year-old on loan until the end of the season for an initial £2m fee, with a £14m obligation to buy at the end of the campaign.

Sky Sports News understands Amadou has made his mind up that he wants to go to Selhurst Park and has been pleading on the phone with his employers to allow the deal to be completed.

Sky sources understand West Ham and another Premier League club are also in talks to sign Amadou, who joined Lille from Nancy in 2015.

The Hammers, who currently have 14 players unavailable through injury, have offered a £2m loan fee for Amadou with a £14m option to buy.

Lille must raise €25m (£22m) by the end of the January window to avoid potential relegation to Ligue 2 for breaking French financial fair play rules.

Palace are believed to be favourites to sign the midfielder but any deal is dependent on Lille also being able to recall Xeka from loan at Dijon, who are currently refusing to release the player.