Crystal Palace hijack Aston Villa's Joel Ordonez deal

Crystal Palace are on the verge of securing a major transfer coup by hijacking Aston Villa's attempts to sign Joel Ordonez. The South London club have moved quickly to formalise their interest in the 22-year-old, offering a deal structured as a loan with a conditional obligation to buy for €30 million.

Reports previously indicated that Aston Villa were progressing well with a deal for the centre-back, with Unai Emery looking to bolster his squad for the upcoming Champions League campaign. However, Palace have now surged ahead in the race for his signature.

The move comes as a response to a defensive crisis at Selhurst Park. Following the sale of Maxence Lacroix and the recent serious injury to Chadi Riad during the opening weekend, Palace identified an urgent need for another specialist centre-half.

Ordonez, who made 46 appearances for Club Brugge last season, has long been a scouting target for the Eagles. The club views his physical and technical attributes as a perfect fit for their system. His arrival would add to a busy summer that has already seen the club sign players such as Anan Khalaili, Zavier Gozo, and Dwight McNeil.

Palace will be looking to integrate their new arrivals quickly as they prepare for a challenging encounter against Manchester City this Friday.