Credit: Imago
Thu 22 January 2026 9:57, UK
Wrexham are aiming to beat Crystal Palace to the signing of Angers striker Sidiki Cherif as they submit a package worth £19million for his services.
The ambitious Championship side have worked their way up the leagues under the ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, with a spot in the playoffs to get to the top flight now on their radar.
Wrexham sit ninth in the second tier as it stands, and are set to back Phil Parkinson with more big signings this month in hope of sneaking into the top six come May.
Football Insider revealed back in November that Wrexham were interested in Cherif, alongside the likes of Newcastle and Sunderland.
Cherif has been targeted by Crystal Palace in recent weeks, though, with a deal believed to be close to completion, but the Red Dragons are now looking to hijack and coax him to North Wales.
Credit: Imago
Wrexham making record £19m bid for Cherif amid Palace interest
19-year-old centre forward Cherif has burst onto the scene with Angers this season to score four goals in 18 Ligue 1 appearances so far.
The Eagles have been plotting an approach for his services for weeks, but may have been beaten to the punch after a new claim from journalist Alan Nixon, via Patreon.
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He states that Wrexham are making a record £19m bid for the young striker, which would include a guaranteed £12m up front, and also come with a large promotion bonus on top.
Credit: Imago
The Hollywood-owned club hope they can offer a better guarantee of game time than Palace, and there is the belief that Cherif could be swayed by the chance of immediate first-team football over joining a club that may bed him in slowly.
Palace could turn their attention to Patrick Agyemang deal instead of Cherif
It has been a tough week for Palace, with Marc Guehi leaving the club for Man City, Oliver Glasner announcing that he will depart in the summer, and more rumours around a potential exit for star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
They are unsurprisingly looking to sign a striker this month, with the Frenchman potentially set to leave either this month or in the summer, but could well be beaten to Cherif’s signature by a Championship side in another big blow.
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Football Insider recently revealed that Palace have approached Derby over a deal for frontman Agyemang, alongside Leeds, with the second-tier side valuing him at around £20m.
He has registered seven goals and three assists in 25 appearances for the Rams since a summer move from Charlotte FC, and the Eagles could well accelerate a move for his services if they are snubbed by Cherif.
