Middlesbrough have been given a possible update on Rav van den Berg’s future, with Crystal Palace allegedly searching for a central defender who can also play right back.
The Teessiders have signed Abdoulaye Kante, Alfie Jones, and Callum Brittain this summer, but they could lose a vital player of their existing squad.
Middlesbrough received a new Rav van den Berg alert involving Crystal Palace
Van den Berg was left out of Boro’s final pre-season friendly against Deportivo last weekend owing to continuing transfer negotiations, and all signs lead to him leaving the club.
According to The Sun, Crystal Palace have been widely linked with a summer deal for the 21-year-old, who signed with Middlesbrough in 2023.
Now, journalist Alan Nixon has provided an update on the Eagles’ position on the defender.
Nixon tells X that Palace is seeking for another centre-half who can also play right-back.
| Rav van den Berg at Middlesbrough (league only) – per Transfermarkt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
| 2023-24 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 2,895 |
| 2024 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 2,126 |
This well matches Van den Berg’s profile, as the young defender has played in both places during his two seasons at the Riverside, particularly in his initial 23/24 season.
The Eagles will need to act swiftly to acquire the Dutchman’s services, however, as Sky Sports reports that German club Koln has made an approach for the defender.
Boro are apparently considering this offer after rejecting two earlier approaches from Dutch club Feyenoord.
The Eredivisie team is now thought to be focused on other targets after failing to reach an agreement with the Teessiders.
Van den Berg has a contract at the Riverside until 2027, which implies that Middlesbrough have all the cards in this scenario.
According to Nixon, Brentford has expressed an interest in signing the 21-year-old, who would rejoin with brother Sepp at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Middlesbrough may hope that Crystal Palace acts on its Rav van den Berg interest
With the North East club presently debating whether to accept Koln’s offer, a sizable proposal from Palace may be just what they need to up Van den Berg’s price tag.
The resources that come with Premier League and European football would allow the Eagles to financially dominate the Bundesliga outfit during negotiations, resulting in Middlesbrough receiving more money.
However, they must not put the entire transaction at jeopardy.
If Boro stalls for too long, seeking for the best possible offer, they risk alienating Koln, and with no guarantee of an offer from Palace, they must avoid this.
Middlesbrough appear to be in desperate need of a big-money sale this summer in order to free up funds for their own transfer targets.
It appears certain that the 21-year-old will advance from the second tier sooner rather than later, and Middlesbrough must strike a perfect balance during discussions for Van den Berg’s departure.
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