According to Argentinean media outlet Ole, River Plate may be forced to sell reported Crystal Palace and Southampton target Gonzalo Montiel, and it could give the chance for the Eagles to exert some revenge if they beat their Premier League rivals to sign him.

What's the word, then?

Well, Ole report that the Argentine giants are under pressure to raise funds during the next transfer window, and Montiel is likely to be one of their in-demand players they can sell on for a decent fee – it brings up his €22m (£18m) release clause.

While West Ham United are mentioned as a potential suitor in this report, just last month Palace were named as being interesting by Goal, while El Transigente said Saints are also keen.

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Both clubs look to need a change at right-back in the summer, with the south London outfit still yet to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and with Yan Valery and Tottenham Hotspur loanee Kyle Walker-Peters not exactly exuding much confidence since Cedric Soares left for Arsenal in January.

Revenge time?

With both clubs needing to strengthen at right-back they could lock horns for Montiel, and it wouldn’t be the first time in recent years.

Indeed, Southampton infamously beat Palace to sign Danny Ings from Liverpool back in the summer of 2018, much to the annoyance of Roy Hodgson, while they also pipped them to the post for the addition of Che Adams from Birmingham City last summer.

Then, in January, reports suggest that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men sealed a loan deal for Walker-Peters from Spurs ahead of their top-flight rivals, although it isn’t a move that has worked out too well so far.

The 22-year-old has only made one start for Saints, and saw midfielder James Ward-Prowse and Yan Valery – who hadn’t started since November – preferred ahead of him on the team-sheet ahead of the current halt to proceedings.

Palace didn’t have much luck themselves during the January window, and this summer could be a real opportunity to put things right – potentially beating Southampton to Montiel would be the icing on the cake.

In other Crystal Palace news, Eagles fans have been reacting to some very honest comments from one of their strikers...