Crystal Palace set to make January move for £26m star who’s “said yes” to joining

Crystal Palace are set to make a January move for Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez, after a deal for the defender fell through at the end of August.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Ordonez “said yes” to joining Palace, in what was set to be a €30m (£26m) deal plus add-ons, but they were unable to get a deal over the line, as the results of his medical indicated a foot injury was worse than first feared.

As such, the Eagles swooped for Honest Ahanor instead, with the centre-back set to join on loan until the end of the season, before officially joining Chelsea from Atalanta.

Having signed Ahanor, Tomiyasu and Disasi, the Eagles are well-stocked in central defence, but they remain keen on signing Ordonez, who received major plaudits from scout Jacek Kulig courtesy of his performances during the 2024-25 campaign.

Last season, the Ecuadorian remained a key player for the Belgian side, making 46 appearances in all competitions, and an average of 6.7 defensive contributions per 90 in the Belgian Pro League was the second-highest number in the squad.

At just 22-years-old, the South American defender has already collected 20 international caps, and it is no surprise the Eagles were keen on a summer deal, but their pursuit isn’t over just yet.

Crystal Palace set to make January move for Joel Ordonez

According to a report from Yahoo, Crystal Palace are set to revisit a move for Ordonez during the January transfer window, after he failed a medical as a result of a broken metatarsal, which was sustained at the World Cup.

Initially, the Eagles had been expecting the centre-back to be out for around four to eight weeks, but the injury was worse than they realised, which meant a deal fell through ahead of deadline day.

Pierre Sage’s side may be able to get a deal done in January, but there is expected to be more competition in the race for his signature, which could pose a problem.

Fortunately, Sage already has plenty of options at his disposal, with three centre-backs arriving at Selhurst Park ahead of the deadline. Tomiyasu and Disasi are both experienced in the Premier League too, making 126 appearances in the competition between them.