Jorgen Strand Larsen: Crystal Palace's deal for Wolves striker hangs in balance with Leeds interested
Crystal Palace's deal for Wolves' Jorgen Strand Larsen hangs in balance; £50m deal looked close to being agreed on Thursday; Leeds remain at table for Strand Larsen but are not prepared to go beyond £40m; Palace yet to respond to Nottingham Forest's Jean-Philippe Mateta bid
Thursday 29 January 2026 21:28, UK
Crystal Palace's deal for Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen is hanging in the balance.
Sky Sports News has been told that intermediaries have communicated to Wolves that Palace are ready to walk away.
However, other sources close to the deal insist that is not the case, and talks remain ongoing.
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A deal for £45m plus a potential £5m in add-ons was close to being agreed earlier on Thursday.
Palace have also agreed a loan deal with Aston Villa for forward Evann Guessand. Sky Sports News has revealed that this includes a £28m obligation to buy that is triggered if he makes a certain number of appearances.
Leeds United remain at the table for Strand Larsen but are not currently prepared to go beyond £40m for him.
They are not under any pressure to sign a striker and are unlikely to move for another player in this window if Strand Larsen ends up moving to Selhurst Park.
The 25-year-old's availability was viewed as a unique opportunity in this transfer window for the long-term.
Signing him at £40m - which is the original value Wolves put on the striker - would be a club-record signing for Leeds, surpassing the £35.5m paid for Georginio Rutter in 2023.
Leeds want to structure their deal for Strand Larsen so that the fee is paid in instalments, having to be mindful of Premier League financial limitations.
Strand Larsen, who was the subject of multiple rejected bids from Newcastle in the summer, has hit just six goals across all competitions this season in a struggling Wolves side.
The Norway international has scored just once in the Premier League this campaign, with Wolves sitting bottom of the table and seemingly heading for the Championship.
Strand Larsen scored a hat-trick earlier this month against League Two side Shrewsbury in the FA Cup third round, with his other two goals coming in the Carabao Cup.
Strand Larsen, who struck 14 Premier League goals last season, wants to stay in the English top flight if he is to leave Wolves.
Guessand's Palace loan includes £28m obligation to buy
Exclusive from Sky Sports News' Rob Dorset & James Savundra:
Evan Guessand's proposed loan move to Crystal Palace includes a £28m obligation to buy that is triggered if certain conditions are met.
Palace and Villa have agreed a loan deal for the forward until the end of the season.
This includes an option to buy that becomes an obligation based on the number of appearances Guessand makes at Palace.
The Ivory Coast international has agreed a four-year contract at Selhurst Park, if and when the deal becomes permanent.
He travelled to London on Thursday to finalise the move and is scheduled to undergo a medical on Friday.
Villa signed Guessand from Nice in the summer in a deal worth up to £28m.
Palace yet to respond to Forest's Mateta bid
Sky Sports News understands Palace are looking to sign Strand Larsen regardless of what happens with the future of their striker Jean Philippe-Mateta.
Nottingham Forest's bid for Mateta remains on the table, but Palace are yet to communicate an official response.
It is thought one is unlikely to come before Palace play Forest at the City Ground on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
Forest are prepared to pay £35m to sign Mateta and are willing to offer him a significant pay rise.
Mateta's future looks increasingly likely to go down to the wire before the window closes on Monday at 7pm.
Palace are currently preparing for Sunday's game with Mateta in the squad.
Relations between Palace and Forest were strained in the summer when Forest replaced Palace in the Europa League.
Palace will only sell the France international if his £40m valuation is met and they are happy to have both players in their squad.
Mateta wants to leave Palace but has not handed in a formal transfer request. The 28-year-old has entered the final 18 months of his contract at Palace.
Juventus and Aston Villa have looked at signing him, but have been put off by the asking price.
