{"id":21756,"date":"2026-01-24T19:26:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T19:26:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/2026\/01\/24\/how-leeds-united-can-hijack-deal-from-crystal-palace-for-their-long-term-transfer-target\/"},"modified":"2026-01-24T19:26:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T19:26:44","slug":"how-leeds-united-can-hijack-deal-from-crystal-palace-for-their-long-term-transfer-target","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/2026\/01\/24\/how-leeds-united-can-hijack-deal-from-crystal-palace-for-their-long-term-transfer-target\/","title":{"rendered":"How Leeds United Can Hijack Deal From Crystal Palace For Their Long Term Transfer Target"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Crystal Palace are officially talking to <a href=\"https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/category\/leagues\/english-premier-league\/wolves\/\">Wolverhampton Wanderers<\/a> about signing striker <a href=\"https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/2026\/01\/leeds-united-tipped-for-20m-bargain-raid-of-premier-league-striker-right-choice-for-farke\/\">Jorgen Strand Larsen<\/a>. They have identified him as the primary candidate to succeed Jean-Philippe Mateta.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Crystal Palace target Wolves striker Strand Larsen as Mateta replacement<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Reports from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.footballinsider247.com\/sources-crystal-palace-battle-leeds-for-jorgen-strand-larsen-after-30m-bid-submitted\/\">Pete O\u2019Rourke in the Transfer Insider podcast<\/a> reveal that the Eagles want to secure the Norwegian international before the February deadline. Mateta recently told the club he wants to leave Selhurst Park. This request spurred Palace\u2019s recruitment team into action.<\/p>\n<p>Matt Hobbs drives this interest. The club appointed him as Crystal Palace\u2019s sporting director in October 2025. Hobbs knows exactly what Strand Larsen can do. He originally brought the forward to Molineux during his time at Wolves.<\/p>\n<p>This history gives Palace a leg up in negotiations. Hobbs rates the 25-year-old highly. The South London club ideally want to keep Mateta until the summer. However, the Frenchman\u2019s push for a move has forced Palace\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n<p>Competition for Strand Larsen remains fierce. <a href=\"https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/category\/leagues\/english-premier-league\/nottingham-forest\/\">Nottingham Forest<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/category\/leagues\/english-premier-league\/everton\/\">Everton<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/category\/leagues\/english-championship\/leeds-united\/\">Leeds United<\/a> are all watching the situation. Wolves have already turned down an initial \u00a333 million proposal from Leeds. Wolves currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table.<\/p>\n<p>They value their star at \u00a340 million, despite his solitary goal in 20 appearances this season. Palace appear willing to pay up. This move ensures the club get the physical focal point his system requires.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cThe other name that I\u2019ve heard mentioned at Crystal Palace is Jorgen Strand Larsen, obviously from Wolves.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cThere\u2019s a million clubs being linked with him, Forest, Everton, Leeds. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cPalace would be prepared to sort of join them in that race and see if they could get that deal done.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cThere are admirers of him at Palace and Matt Hobbs, the sporting director, obviously worked with him at Wolves as well.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cSo that could be one Palace look at if Mateta leaves, which obviously as you said they don\u2019t really want to do in January if they can help it.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Can Leeds United hijack the deal?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_342375\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-342375\"><img loading=\"lazy\" data-lazyloaded=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Crystal Palace Lead Race For Long-Term Leeds United Target\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-1260x840.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-1392x928.jpg 1392w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/the4thofficial.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/aston-villa-v-wolverhampton-wanderers-premier-league-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-342375\">BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND \u2013 NOVEMBER 30: Jorgen Strand Larsen of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks dejected following the team\u2019s defeat during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Villa Park on November 30, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Steele\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Leeds United still have a real chance to beat Palace to Strand Larsen\u2019s signature. To do so, they must be aggressive with their cash. Wolves rejected Leeds\u2019 first \u00a333 million bid. However, the West Midlands club are struggling for money and desperately need to reinvest in the squad.<\/p>\n<p>These factors make them more likely to accept a higher cash-up-front offer. Leeds sit safely in 16th place. They are eight points clear of the drop. This offers Strand Larsen Premier League stability that Wolves cannot guarantee.<\/p>\n<p>If the Leeds board approves a record-breaking \u00a340 million fee immediately, they could bypass Palace\u2019s negotiations. Matt Hobbs\u2019 personal connection helps Palace. Nevertheless, money often dictates the final outcome in January windows.<\/p>\n<p>Also, one thing to be considered is Glasner will leave at the end of the season. So, Leeds United can use this to drive home the point that there will be stability for the forward going into the 2026-27 season. Farke would want him at Elland Road, and he will be present at the touchline in the upcoming season (barring some really bad performance from the club but that\u2019s true almost anywhere) unlike Crystal Palace. Player power is important in today\u2019s age and Leeds United can use it to sell the vision of Leeds United to Larsen over what\u2019s happening currently at Palace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Crystal Palace are officially talking to Wolverhampton Wanderers about signing striker Jorgen Strand Larsen. They have identified him as the primary candidate to succeed Jean-Philippe Mateta. Crystal Palace target Wolves striker Strand Larsen as Mateta replacement Reports from Pete O\u2019Rourke in the Transfer Insider podcast reveal that the Eagles want to secure the Norwegian international [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13963,"featured_media":21757,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13963"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21756"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21756\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21757"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo76e71539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}