Transfer latest: Palace sign Souare, Swans confirm Cork capture
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Crystal Palace, 9/2 relegation chances with Coral, have made their fourth winter window signing with a swoop for Lille and Senegal left back Pape Souare.
Eagles co-chairman Steve Parish took to social media to confirm 24-year-old Souare’s arrival at Selhurst Park, following his recent participation at the Africa Cup of Nations with his country.
Alan Pardew has also landed Arsenal’s France Under-21 forward Yaya Sanogo on loan, and made QPR midfielder Jordon Mutch and ex-Newcastle United cult hero target man Shola Ameobi permanent additions to his squad.
Souare becomes the only natural left-footed option for that flank of the Palace defence, with existing players such as Joel Ward and Maartin Kelly operating out of position.
The Eagles are also buoyed by the news that striker Glenn Murray has rejected overtures from Reading, and signed a one-year contract extension with the south London side.
Mid-table Swansea City, meanwhile, have brought in Southampton midfielder Jack Cork for a reported cut-price fee of £3m. The 25-year-old, who came through Chelsea’s academy, was out of contract at St Mary’s this summer.
Saints boss Ronald Koeman is understood to have given Cork an ultimatum regarding his future on the south coast. As he did not sign a new deal with Southampton, they opted to sell him rather than risk losing him for nothing.
Perhaps suffering from strong competition at Saints, with the likes of Steven Davis, Morgan Schneiderlin, Victor Wanyama and James Ward-Prowse (who recently pledged his long-term future to the club by penning a new five-year deal) ahead of him in the pecking order, Cork could experience something similar with the Swans.
Garry Monk has Leon Britton, Spurs loanee Tom Carroll, Jonjo Shelvey, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Ki Sung-Yueng on the Liberty Stadium side’s books that can play in central midfield. This has not discouraged Cork, however, who has moved to south Wales on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
Cork’s father Alan was once a coach at Swansea, who are odds-on at 4/5 for a top 10 finish.
