Portsmouth set sights on Crystal Palace Academy star but Manchester United might miss out on Michael Olise

Crystal Palace youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi is a target for the newly promoted Championship side Portsmouth as they plot their first campaign back in the English second-tier competition for the first time in almost a decade. 

Pompey stormed to the League One title by playing a possession-based brand of football, whilst also being an extremely well-balanced side that was potent in attack, and stout in defence.

Rak-Sakyi is highly rated in the Palace squad having come through the club’s academy and being in and around the first team for some time now. 

Last season the club blocked loan offers from Championship clubs. But they might be forced to loan him this time around with manager Oliver Glasner looking to strengthen and not being able to guarantee the youngster the minutes he needs to develop. 

The 21-year-old is not new to loan deals having spent the 2022/2023 season at Charlton Athletic where he impressed massively scoring 15 goals in 43 appearances for the LeagueOne side. 

Football League World’s Portsmouth fan pundit Miltos Ioannidis believes it would be a clear statement of intent if the South Coast club were able to land Rak-Sakyi's services, considering there will likely be interest from elsewhere too. 

"He told Miltos FLW: “To put it as simply as I can, I think it would be a massive statement of intent if Pompey were to get a player of the calibre of Rak-Sakyi.”

Palace closing in double signings

The Eagles are closing in on the signing of Chadi Riad from Real Betis after he completed his medical last week and the club working behind the scenes to announce his signing.

The south London club are also looking to sign Daichi Kamada on a free after he left Lazio. the Europa League winner with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021 will be reunited with his former boss Glasner at Selhurst once the deal is announced.

Manchester United and Chelsea are both interested in Michael Olise but LondonWorld has been told the player has not decided his long-term future. Chelsea are strong admirers and he started his career at Cobham with United still deciding the future of manager Erik ten Hag before they can go all out for their summer targets.