Crystal Palace’s big summer signing may get clearance to feature in Ipswich friendly
Cheick Doucoure is set to feature in Crystal Palace’s friendly against Ipswich on Saturday, provided the Mali international has obtained a visa.
The 22-year-old midfielder is the most expensive South London transfer of the summer window after being confirmed as an Eagle on Monday.
Reports have claimed Doucoure could cost as much as £20million.
His visa had not come through in time for the former Lens player to be part of Palace’s squad for their pre-season tour of Australia and Singapore. The travelling party was missing a raft of star players including Wilfried Zaha, Marc Guehi, Michael Olise, Christian Benteke and Jeffrey Schlupp.
Palace blamed their absences on either injury or not meeting the entry requirements to be able to travel to those countries.
Manager Patrick Vieira has flown out and it means that his assistant Osian Roberts and first-team coach Kristian Wilson will handle both the training and tune-up matches in the UK.
Palace play Liverpool tomorrow at Singapore National Stadium before the Tractor Boys head to the club’s training ground for an 11am start on Saturday.
Vieira is excited by the potential of Doucoure. He won 67 tackles in Ligue 1 last season, the joint third most in the French top flight, but was also joint fifth for the most progressive passes.
“He is a really special talent and still really young,” said Vieira. “He still has a lot of parts of the game he needs to develop.
“He is a player that I know quite well. I’ve been following him the last couple of years. He is comfortable on the ball and physically really strong. He has really good experience as well because he has been playing at an early age at a good level.
“He is going to bring us more quality.”
Vieira has made light of the lack of established first-teamers on tour in Southeast Asia.
“Young players at this football club our part of our DNA,” he said. “They will get this type of exposure to see what they are capable of.”
PICTURES: CPFC
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
