Crystal Palace have secured the signing of Brennan Johnson from Tottenham Hotspur for a club-record fee of £35 million, with the Wales forward signing a four-and-a-half-year deal. The transfer, completed on the second day of the January window, was praised by manager Oliver Glasner, who credited the hierarchy for acting swiftly to bolster the FA Cup winners' attacking options.
Johnson, 24, struggled for game time at Tottenham under Thomas Frank, starting only six Premier League matches this season. He was keen to remain in London, and Palace beat off competition from Bournemouth to secure his signature. Glasner expressed delight at the early arrival, stating Johnson's pace and goalscoring ability will provide valuable options for the upcoming fixtures.
The former Nottingham Forest forward scored the winning goal in the Europa League final last May for Spurs. Johnson said he has always admired Crystal Palace and is excited to join the club's journey. His departure continues a trend of Tottenham selling their top scorers from recent seasons, following Son Heung-min and Harry Kane out of the club.
Palace are also pursuing further reinforcements, with discussions held over Angers forward Sidiki Chérif, though they face competition from Paris FC. Glasner is seeking cover at right-back, with Genk's Zakaria El Ouahdi and Monaco's Vanderson linked, as well as a midfield target in AZ's Kees Smit, who is also wanted by Newcastle and Real Madrid.
In other news, Brighton have confirmed the return of former captain Pascal Gross on a contract until the end of next season. The 34-year-old left to join Borussia Dortmund in August 2024 and his return was welcomed by head coach Fabian Hürzeler, who highlighted Gross's leadership qualities and experience as a huge asset to the squad.
