Crystal Palace have an obvious defensive vacancy to fill after Maxence Lacroix completed a £52 million move to Chelsea.
The France international became a major part of Palace’s recent success after joining from Wolfsburg for around £18 million in 2024.
Lacroix helped the Eagles win the FA Cup during his first season before making 55 appearances last term as they lifted the Conference League.
His pace and confidence defending large spaces were particularly important within Oliver Glasner’s back three.
Palace have made a substantial profit, but replacing a defender who understood their system and proved himself in the Premier League will not be straightforward.
That task falls partly to Pierre Sage, who replaced Glasner as head coach this summer.
The former Lyon and Lens manager has inherited a squad preparing for Europa League football, increasing the importance of depth across the defence.
Takehiro Tomiyasu has been training with Palace during pre-season, although reports suggest no contract negotiations have taken place with the free agent.
A move for Augsburg defender Chrislain Matsima has also been explored, and he apparently agreed personal terms, but talks were abrutly halted and were called off after both sides failed to find an agreement.
Odilon Kossounou is another possible solution and has been linked with Palace before.
Reports in December claimed the Eagles were monitoring him while preparing for the possible departure of Marc Guehi.
The Ivory Coast international has the experience and versatility needed to help fill the gap now left by Lacroix.
Kossounou began his senior career in Sweden with Hammarby after developing at ASEC Mimosas. His progress continued at Club Brugge, where he won two Belgian league titles before joining Bayer Leverkusen in 2021.
The 25-year-old was part of Xabi Alonso’s outstanding Leverkusen squad during that outstanding 2023/24 campaign. Leverkusen completed an unbeaten domestic double, while Kossounou made 34 appearances across all competitions.
That season also brought international success.
Kossounou started three matches as the Ivory Coast recovered from a disastrous group stage to win the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.
He moved to Atalanta on loan in August 2024 and initially adapted well to Gian Piero Gasperini’s three-man defence. Kossounou made 23 appearances during his first season in Bergamo, including four in the Champions League.
However, his campaign was interrupted in January when he required surgery on a tendon injury in his right adductor.
Atalanta were still sufficiently impressed to make the transfer permanent, but last season proved less convincing.
Kossounou appeared 19 times in Serie A, starting 10 of them, but minor muscular problems disrupted his rhythm, including an issue in October and a thigh injury that ruled him out of Atalanta’s final two league fixtures.
Crystal Palace ‘serious’ about signing Odilon Kossounou
Nevertheless, Tutto Atalanta now reports that Palace have made a ‘serious’ enquiry about his situation.
The Italian outlet claims Newcastle have also showed interest in recent weeks, but Palace are the latest English club to consider a move.
Atalanta’s position will reportedly depend on new manager Maurizio Sarri, who must decide whether Kossounou suits his planned four-man defence.
The report adds that Atalanta could use the proceeds from a sale to fund further recruitment, with Alessio Romagnoli among the defenders they have monitored.
Palace possess the financial room to act following Lacroix’s expensive departure.
Kossounou would provide major-league, European and international experience without being significantly older than the player he could replace.
However, his recent injuries and inconsistent minutes mean he should not automatically be presented as a guaranteed replacement.
