Crystal Palace are interested in signing Ismaelo Ganiou, a 21-year-old French and Burkinabe central defender from RC Lens, and will face competition from Tottenham Hotspur. Ganiou was a key player for the French club as they finished second in the league last season, and he could be available for around €35 million. It is reported that Palace are close to appointing Pierre Sage as their new manager. This could aid their pursuit of Ganiou, as he previously worked with Sage at Lens and may be interested in a reunion. Crystal Palace needs to strengthen its defense before competing in the UEFA Europa League. Tottenham are also considering Ganiou as a potential replacement for Cristian Romero, who has been linked with a departure. Ganiou joined Lens in July 2025 and made 23 appearances, scoring 3 goals in Ligue 1 last season. He has a contract with the French club until 2028 and has been capped twice by the France U21 national team. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is €20.00m.