Crystal Palace Sign Anan Khalaili for £21 Million
Crystal Palace have made their move.
Anan Khalaili is in the door.
The south London club have confirmed the signing of the Israel international from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in a deal worth around £21 million, with further add-ons built in. The 21-year-old wing-back has signed a five-year contract at Selhurst Park, with an option for a further year.
It is another decisive step in a busy first summer for new manager Pierre Sage.
A key piece on the right
Khalaili arrives at a time when Palace’s right flank needed urgent attention. Daniel Muñoz remains the first-choice right wing-back, but the depth chart had started to look thin.
- Danny Imray has left for Championship side Wrexham.
- Nathaniel Clyne has departed after his contract expired.
- Maxence Lacroix has already gone to Chelsea.
For a squad suddenly stripped of right-sided defensive options, this signing matters.
Khalaili offers versatility as well as cover. Comfortable as a wing-back or higher up the flank, he brings energy, direct running and a clear eye for goal from wide areas.
“I’m happy to be here, I’m excited, and I can’t wait to start,” he said after the move was announced. “I’ve followed the Premier League – it’s a new challenge for me – and I’ve followed Crystal Palace for a long time. I’m happy to be here.”
Title winner and European scorer
Palace are not just buying potential. Khalaili arrives as a champion.
He played his part in Royale Union Saint-Gilloise’s historic campaign, helping the Brussels club secure a first top-flight title in 90 years. On the continental stage he made his mark too, scoring three times in the Champions League as USG also lifted the Belgian Cup.
That blend of domestic success and European experience at such a young age made him one of the more intriguing wing-back options on the market.
Now he swaps the Jupiler Pro League for the Premier League, and the tight, atmospheric Selhurst Park becomes his new home.
Fifth face of the Sage era
Khalaili is the fifth signing of the Sage era, underlining how aggressively Palace have moved to reshape the squad.
- Dwight McNeil has already arrived in a swap deal that took Brennan Johnson the other way.
- Oscar Mingueza, Evann Guessand and Takehiro Tomiyasu have also been added, giving the French coach fresh tools across the pitch.
This latest deal strengthens a clear theme: more flexibility, more athleticism, more competition for places.
Spotted before he was announced
Palace supporters had already done their detective work before the club went public.
Khalaili had joined up with his new team-mates on their training camp in Germany, where fans spotted him in a Palace tracksuit among the squad. He signed autographs, posed for pictures and, in truth, made the official announcement a formality.
The club leaned into the moment, teasing the confirmation with a playful tweet on Saturday morning: “Anyone got a spare autograph book laying around.”
The reveal followed, and with it, another piece of the summer rebuild clicked into place.
Pre-season gathers pace
On the pitch, Sage’s preparations have begun to settle after a shaky opening.
A 3-0 defeat to Bromley was a jolt in his first outing in charge. Since then, Palace have responded with a 3-1 win over Ula and a 2-1 victory against Fulham, results that hint at growing cohesion as the new faces bed in.
Khalaili will now be thrown into that mix, tasked with bringing his title-winning edge and Champions League know-how to a side intent on pushing forward.
The question is simple: with the right flank reinforced and the squad reshaped, how far can this new-look Palace push in the season ahead?
