Crystal Palace eyeing loan move for Hamed Junior Traore.
Crystal Palace will reportedly look to sign 24-year-old Ivorian midfielder Hamed Junior Traore on loan from fellow Premier League club Bournemouth.
According to reputed Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Hamed Junior Traore is the subject of interest from Crystal Palace. The Eagles are scouring the market for a versatile midfielder heading into the summer transfer window. The 24-year-old has thus emerged as a viable target for the Premier League club.
Who is Hamed Junior Traore?
Hamed Junior Traore has vast experience in Serie A, having graduated from the Empoli academy before rising in prominence at Sassuolo. A native of Abidjan, he ended his youth career in Italy. Meanwhile, the Ivory Coast international has been a regular for the African nation since making his debut in 2021.
However, the 24-year-old has struggled for prominence since joining Bournemouth. The Cherries initially signed him on loan from Sassuolo in January 2023 before completing a permanent move last summer. However, Traore barely featured for Bournemouth in the first half of the 2023/24 season before the Premier League club loaned him out to Napoli.
However, the African midfielder’s prospects have not improved since returning to Italy, managing only 483 minutes of game time across 11 appearances. So, a permanent transfer to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium is unlikely, although a loan move across the Premier League might be possible amid his links with Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace’s interest in Hamed Junior Traore is understandable. The Eagles are sweating over the long-term futures of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze amid their links with high-profile Premier League clubs. In addition, Will Hughes and Jeffrey Schlupp face an uncertain future at Selhurst Park.
So, it behoves Crystal Palace to invest in a versatile midfielder, with several candidates, including Merlin Rohl, emerging as targets. Traore has also popped up on their radar, with the Eagles eyeing a loan move for the 24-year-old Ivory Coast international.
Traore will unlikely complete a permanent move to Napoli in the summer transfer window. With regular game time at AFC Bournemouth coming at a premium, it will be interesting to see if the Cherries sanction another loan deal in the summer transfer window, this time to Crystal Palace.
