Transfer deadline day: Crystal Palace splashes the cash

Selhurst Park Holmesdale Stand. Pic: Rockybiggs

Crystal Palace has managed to keep the intrigue of its latest transfer deals till the very last moment. The Eagles sealed Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho on loan on the deadline day of the transfer window.

Palace has been negotiating Sakho’s permanent transfer, but the sides did not agree over the £20m price set by Liverpool. The 26-year-old player was Palace’s second deal on transfer deadline day, which has reportedly cost the club an initial £2m fee.

“Right now it’s a new page for me. When I have a new shirt I always give my best” said the defender in his interview for the Palace website, who has not played for Liverpool since April of last season. The French international served a suspension after failing a drug test, and has since been training with Liverpool’s second team.

“It was frustrating for me and my family to wait for the deal to happen, but I’m really happy to sign here because the project is really interesting. It’s a big challenge and I’m ready for that.”

Earlier that day the Eagles confirmed a £12m deal for Olympiacos midfielder Luka Milivojevic. Manager Sam Allardyce is hoping the 25-year-old will provide the team with ‘extra physical presence in midfield’, reports BBC sport. The captain of the Greek champions accounts for six goals in 17 games this season. The contract is said to be three and a half year long.

Palace has also been enforced by Leicester’s Jeffrey Schlupp, whose four-and-a-half year old contract has reportedly accounted for £12m. The 24-year-old Ghana international plays in defence, midfield or attack. He has made 24 Premier League appearances in the last season, joining the Foxes in their first victorious season.

Eagles’ midfielder Jordon Mutch, 25, has joined Reading on loan for the rest of the season, during which he has already played for Palace eight times.

Another player to leave Crystal Palace on loan is the striker Keshi Anderson, who joined the team in January 2015. Previously, the 21-year old used to play for non-league Barton Rovers and yet he has not made his debut in a first-team game. For the remainder of the season, Anderson will be presenting Northampton Town.

Striker Freddie Ladapo will be playing for Shrewsbury on the same conditions after having spent the first half of the season on loan in Oldham.

Follow Evgeniya Dolina on Twitter.

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