Crystal Palace have moved ahead of Nottingham Forest in the race for Anan Khalaili, agreeing to pay €25million (£21.5m) to Union St. Gilloise for the 21-year-old. Forest had already had an offer worth around €20million rejected last week, while Palace also settled personal terms on a five-year contract with an option. BBC Sport reported the fee as being in the region of £21m, but the more specific figure in the latest reporting is Palace's €25million offer.

Palace's edge in the market

TEAMtalk said Palace had swooped in to beat a host of rivals, including their former boss Oliver Glasner, to the signing. That is a neat summary of how quickly this moved once the Inter Milan deal collapsed after a heart-scan issue stopped that transfer after he had already passed the medical.

The appeal is easy to see from the output alone. Khalaili made 52 appearances in all competitions for Union SG last season, scored six goals and added six assists. For a player who has been used in advanced wide areas and at right-back, that is proper end product, not a one-note defensive profile.

Palace finished 15th in the 2025 Premier League season and are listed 8th in the 2026 standings, so there is a clear incentive to keep adding depth before the new campaign. Khalaili is not being sold as a finished superstar, but the fee, the contract length and the fight for his signature suggest Palace have backed the view that his best work is still ahead.

Why Forest missed out

Forest's rejected bid matters because it shows Palace did not just stumble into a deal after the Inter collapse. They had to move past another Premier League rival who had already tested the waters, and they did so with a stronger package.

That is the useful read here. Khalaili's numbers at Union SG justify the attention, and Palace have paid like a club that expects those numbers to translate. The next step is the formal completion of the move, with the latest reporting saying he is expected to join in the coming week.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →