Chadi Riad completes Crystal Palace medical as £14m transfer beckons

Chadi Riad has completed his medical at Crystal Palace ahead of joining the Eagles.

The twice-capped Morocco international is expected to join Palace from Barcelona in a deal worth £14million, comprised of a £12m initial fee with £2m in add-ons.

The 20-year-old impressed last season while on loan at Real Betis.

Any deal is expected to wait until after the upcoming international break, with Riad hoping to represent Morocco in 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Zambia and Congo on June 7 and June 11, respectively.

Palace’s key centre-backs Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen are committed to life at Selhurst Park but both are the subject of transfer speculation this summer — particularly Guehi, who is admired by Manchester United among other clubs.

The signing of Riad would help Palace mitigate the effects of potentially losing one of them in the coming months.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner had highlighted the need to strengthen at centre-back to the club’s recruitment team, who have been receptive to his suggestions since he became head coach in February.

James Tomkins will leave Palace this summer, while September 2023 signing Rob Holding has struggled to break into the Eagles’ defence due to the continuation of the woeful injury record that curbed his progress at previous club, Arsenal.