Premier League club weighing up transfer options after Middlesbrough scouting brief

Yahoo

5 hours ago

CRYSTAL Palace sent scouts to watch Rav van den Berg at the European Under-21 Championships - but the Middlesbrough defender is one of several potential targets for the Premier League club as they look to strengthen at centre-half this summer.
Van den Berg's tournament was brought to an end on Wednesday night when the Netherlands went down 2-1 to England at the semi-final stage.
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The Boro defender was an unused substitute in the first two games of the tournament but was brought into the starting XI for the final group game and then played every minute of the two knockout fixtures for Michael Reiziger's side.
Palace have long tracked van den Berg and it's understood the FA Cup winners sent a scout out to the tournament tasked with closely watching a couple of players in particular, including Boro's defender.
But Palace are currently assessing several potential defensive targets as they weigh up their options at centre-half.
Ousmane Diomande is said to have been identified as their top target this summer, but the Sporting Lisbon defender is interesting a number of Premier League clubs.
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Palace are said to want to sign a defender this summer, regardless of what happens with their captain Marc Guehi.
Guehi is wanted by Newcastle and Arsenal, while Liverpool have also been linked with the England international.
The 24-year-old is moving into the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and there's no indication that he'll sign a new deal. With that in mind, Palace are keen to offload the defender this summer but are understood to be asking for around £70m. Reports this week suggested Guehi will be happy to see out his contract if the right move doesn't materialise.
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Van den Berg has long been on the radar of numerous clubs throughout Europe, with Boro having won a fierce battle for the highly-rated defender's signature two years ago.
Van den Berg enjoyed a superb first season on Teesside but he struggled to find top form in his injury-disrupted second campaign.
Dutch Under-21s boss and former Boro defender Reiziger was asked on the back of his side's defeat to England whether he believes van den Berg is ready to step up to the Premier League.
He said: "He played a very good tournament and when he was getting in the squad he gave a lot of energy.
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"Today, almost every time in the first half, he played one-on-one and I think he won a lot of his duels, so he will be very satisfied."
Earlier this month, van den Berg admitted he was aware of transfer interest this summer.
He told De Stentor in the Netherlands: "I still support the decision to go to Middlesbrough. The city may not be the most beautiful in England and I don't like fish and chips. But it has been good for my development, because I have played a lot.
'My brother Sepp took a different path by transferring to Liverpool, a big club. But he has done very well in a roundabout way, he now plays almost everything at Brentford.
"That is also important to me and decisive in a choice, I want playing time. I did tell my agent that he should only call if a club is very serious. Did he call after that? Yes. But I can't say anything more about it."