Crystal Palace have completed the signing of Anan Khalaili from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. The Eagles have secured the wing-back for a fee of around £21 million, with further add-ons included in the deal.
Deal details and background
The 21-year-old Israel international arrives on a five-year contract, with an option for an additional year. He moves to Selhurst Park amid reported interest in Daniel Munoz, the club's first-choice right wing-back.
Khalaili becomes the fifth signing under new manager Pierre Sage, following the arrivals of Dwight McNeil in a swap deal for Brennan Johnson, Oscar Mingueza, Evann Guessand, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Palace have already lost Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea, while right-sided defensive options appeared thin after Danny Imray's move to Championship side Wrexham and Nathaniel Clyne's departure upon the expiry of his contract.
Player's reaction and achievements
"I'm happy to be here, I'm excited, and I can't wait to start," Khalaili said on his arrival. "I've followed the Premier League – it's a new challenge for me – and I've followed Crystal Palace for a long time. I'm happy to be here."
The youngster, who can also operate further forward on the wing, helped USG win a maiden top-flight title in 90 years. He scored three times in the Champions League for the Belgian side as they also claimed the Belgian Cup.
Pre-season and upcoming campaign
Khalaili had already joined up with his new team-mates before the club announced his arrival, with fans spotting him in a Palace tracksuit at the training camp in Germany. He signed autographs and posed for pictures, prompting Palace to tease his announcement with a jokey tweet on Saturday morning.
Palace's preparations have been strong. A 3-0 defeat by Bromley was not an ideal start to Sage's reign, but he has since overseen 3-1 and 2-1 wins over Ula and Fulham respectively. They open their Premier League season at the Hill Dickenson Stadium against Everton.
