Crystal Palace have moved to bolster their attacking options on transfer deadline day, lodging a formal bid to sign Danish club Midtjylland's Chilean international winger Dario Osorio, according to reports from Standard Sport.
The proposed structure of the deal sees Palace initially pursue a loan arrangement for the 22-year-old, which would carry an obligation to complete a permanent transfer next summer for an upfront fee of £24 million, with a further £3.4 million payable in add-ons. While there has been no confirmation yet that Midtjylland have accepted the offer, sources close to the negotiations suggest there is optimism on both sides that terms can be finalised before the window shuts.
Interest in Osorio is not a new development for Palace. Standard Sport had exclusively reported back in June that the winger was attracting attention from clubs in the Premier League, and he has now emerged as a genuine target for the Eagles in the closing stages of the summer window. The player himself is understood to be eager to make the switch to English football, having enjoyed a productive campaign in Denmark last season, contributing eight goals and ten assists across all competitions for Midtjylland.
While the Osorio deal appears to be gathering momentum, Palace's pursuit of another winger has proven far more complicated. The south London club remain locked in competition with Sunderland for the signature of Lyon's Malick Fofana, with both English sides having tabled offers for the Belgian international.
Fofana has already been given clearance to complete a medical examination, but the situation remains unresolved. Complications surrounding agent fees are said to be the primary obstacle preventing a swift resolution, leaving it genuinely uncertain whether the winger will end up at Selhurst Park or Sunderland's Stadium of Light before deadline day concludes.
The dual pursuit of both wingers underlines Palace's determination to strengthen their attacking department as the transfer window draws to a close. With the 11pm BST deadline fast approaching, the club are expected to be busy on multiple fronts, with further incomings and outgoings still possible before business is wrapped up for the summer.
Should the Osorio deal go through as structured, it would represent a significant coup for Palace, bringing in a player who has already demonstrated an eye for goal and an ability to create chances at a high level in European football. His versatility and end product could provide manager Oliver Glasner with valuable additional options as Palace look to build on their recent progress.
The outcome of the Fofana chase, however, remains harder to predict. With Sunderland equally determined to land the Lyon winger and the unresolved agent fee dispute continuing to cloud proceedings, it may come down to which club can navigate the financial complexities more effectively in the remaining hours of the window.
Palace supporters will now be watching closely to see whether the club can secure both targets, or whether they will need to prioritise one deal over the other as the clock ticks down towards the deadline. Either way, the Eagles' activity on deadline day reflects an ambition to add further quality and depth to their squad as they look ahead to the challenges of the season ahead.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.