Championship manager namechecks Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United as Crystal Palace transfer links hot up

Swansea City head coach Vitor Matos namechecked Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United when providing a cryptic reply to transfer rumours linking the Championship outfit with a move for Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

The 23-year-old has returned from his loan at Turkish side Caykur Rizespor and is expected to leave Selhurst Park again this month with a path into Oliver Glasner’s first team unlikely, despite the Austrian bemoaning a lack of strength in depth.

The forward is a product of the Crystal Palace academy but has never really made an impact on the first team with just 10 goalless appearances to his name. Rak-Sakyi has enjoyed loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns respectively.

Swansea City linked with Crystal Palace winger

Rak-Sakyi picked up a respectable four goals in his 13 Rizespor appearances and Swansea City have emerged as frontrunners to offer the player a new loan deal. Matos was asked about interest in the Crystal Palace player ahead of the weekend.

He said: "Rak-Sakyi is a good player of course. He's someone that had the impact last season with Sheffield United, with Charlton before as well, so of course he's someone really interesting. But yeah, he's one of the names that we keep seeing and monitoring, let's see what will be the next."

Matos added: "We are looking to a lot of players at the moment if we believe that's the right profile to have in the squad. Rak-Sakyi has a lot of things we like, that's good, but of course it's a rumour at the moment so it's nothing that I can confirm."

Rak-Sakyi previously impressed in EFL at Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United

Prior to joining Sheffield United in the summer of 2024, Rak-Sakyi had been linked with QPR, Leeds United, Hull City and Watford in what was somewhat of a dramatic transfer race. That interest came after an impressive loan stay at The Valley over the 2022/23 campaign.

Rak-Sakyi made 49 appearances for Charlton Athletic that season, scoring 15 goals and picking up nine assists. Speaking about the rising star after his Addicks debut, former manager Ben Garner said: “It was a great debut for Jes and he is only going to get better. I think we’ve all seen tonight what a talent he has got. It’s great for him to score early on. Hopefully he can have a fantastic season for us.

“His biggest asset is his wonderful, wonderful balance. Couple that with close control and ability. But tactically tonight was most pleasing for me because he’s only had two days prep on how we wanted to press and be without the ball. He’s done that fantastically well for a young player.”

In other news, Former Crystal Palace favourite described as 'incredible' set to sign for Championship club.