Crystal Palace are opening talks to sign the £40m Wolves star who could be the next Eze

A few years ago, no Crystal Palace fan would have believed that their club would be FA Cup winners at the same time and in the semi-finals of Europe.

However, that is true for Oliver Glasner's side in 2025/26, as the Eagles once again have the chance to end the season with a trophy at the end of May.

Club-record addition Jorgen Strand Larsen will no doubt have a big role to play in the coming weeks, after joining the club for around £45 million from Wolves during the January transfer window.

The Norwegian scored three goals in his first seven games after moving to Selhurst Park, but has now gone several games without scoring.

There is no denying that the 26-year-old has plenty of time to revive his career in South London, with the potential arrival of one player this summer helping the talisman's chances of success.

Crystal Palace are in talks to sign the £40m star this summer

In the past few weeks, Palace have been linked with a number of talents to try and move up the Premier League table during the 2026/27 campaign.

Officials often enter the Championship with promising talents and could do so again this window with the move for Millwall star Femi Azeez.

The 24-year-old has registered a combined 16 goals and assists in England's second tier this season, prompting a move to Selhurst Park in the summer.

However, the Englishman is not the only player who could arrive from the second tier this summer, with recently-relegated Wolves star Joao Gomes another option for the Eagles.

According to the BBC, Palace have already contacted the player's representatives and had discussions about an agreement to join the club once the window opens.

The report reveals that the Brazilian midfielder is looking to leave Molineux after being sacked, and the player also wants to stay in the Premier League.

A £40m fee would be needed to secure the 25-year-old's signature this summer, with Atletico Madrid another club said to be interested in his services.

Why Gomes will be the next Eberechi Eze of the Palace

Landing gold in Championship stars has not been uncommon at Palace in recent years, as evidenced by the £15m deal to sign Eberechi Eze from QPR in the summer of 2020.

The Englishman arrived as an unknown quantity to many fans, but he quickly captured their hearts with his incredible performances at Selhurst Park.

He racked up a total of 40 goals and 29 assists in his 169 games for the Eagles, often starring and stepping up in the final third when the side needed him most.

A similar situation was seen in last season's FA Cup final, as he stepped into the penalty area and fired home the only goal to secure the club's first major trophy.

However, it could be one of his final contributions to the club, as he left a £60m deal to join Arsenal's boyhood club during the transfer window last summer.

Losing Eze was a blow to the club and the fans, but they have a chance to emulate this feat with a Gomes deal when the window opens.

Although the Brazilian has played in England's top flight, he is at the level required to push the Eagles to the next level – as the midfielder did during his five-year spell.

He may have lost out with Rob Edwards this season, but his basic stats for the 2025/26 season show the quality he has.

Gomes has completed 86% of the passes he has attempted in this campaign, while his teammate has completed 31% of his crosses into the opposition area.

The aforementioned statistics highlight his talent with the ball at his feet, with the Brazilian able to provide the likes of Strand Larsen in South London.

His level of play is also reflected in his 66% dribble completion rate – which also puts him in the top 10% of midfielders in the Premier League.

However, off the ball is where the 25-year-old has excelled in 2025/26, with the Wolves star making 7.2 appearances so far.

Such a figure is more than 92% of players in the senior team in England this campaign, which also highlighted his ability to return the ball to his team.

He also won 3.4 tackles and received 6.4 balls per 90 this season – which only confirms the incredible ability he has to disrupt the progress of opposition teams.

While he operates in a different role to Eze, the similarities between the transfers are there for all to see, with officials able to land their next big-money star this summer.

£40m would be a huge transfer for the Eagles, but it will enable the club to fight for a European place in 2026/27.

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