Crystal Palace's Hopes of Adding Defensive Cover Dealt Blow as £16m Bid for Ibrahim Amadou Rejected

Crystal Palace have had a second bid for Lille centre-half Ibrahim Amadou turned down as they continue searching for reinforcements to cover their injured

Crystal Palace have had a second bid for Lille centre-half Ibrahim Amadou turned down as they continue searching for reinforcements to cover their injured defenders. 

First-team regulars Scott Dann and Mamadou Sakho are both spending time on the sidelines at the moment, leaving James Tomkins, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Damien Delaney the only available options in that position. 

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Palace have added Polish international Jaroslav Jach to their defensive ranks in a £2m deal recently, but are said to be keen on Cameroonian Amadou too according to a HITC report.

Interest in the 24-year-old has been present for at least a year, with former Eagles boss Sam Allardyce targeting a £10m move for the defender back in January 2017, according to the Daily Mail.   

SKY SOURCES: @CPFC's new improved bid in excess of £16m for defender Ibrahim Amadou turned down by Lille. #SSN

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 25, 2018

Manager Roy Hodgson will be wishing that Palace had signed Amadou for the reported fee last January, as it looks like he may have to pay double the amount if he is to secure a move to Selhurst Park before the transfer window concludes on Wednesday. 

The defender has made twenty appearances for Lille in Ligue 1 this season, picking up just three yellow cards. 

Arsenal dealt Hodgson's side a damning 4-1 blow in their last Premier League match, and will need all the defensive options they can get their hands on if they are to survive another relegation battle.