Crystal Palace are being linked to a possible summer move for Freiburg forward Cyriaque Irie.
The 2025/26 Conference League winners are one of a number of clubs reported to be monitoring the rising Bundesliga star.
Irie, 20, joined the German side last summer from Troyes in France and made 10 appearances in the Bundesliga as Freiburg finished seventh while also reaching the Europa League final, where they lost 3-0 to Aston Villa in Istanbul. Irie was an unused substitute in that showpiece game.
Lens pointing the way
Irie was born in the Ivory Coast but has nine caps and two goals for Burkina Faso. He failed to get on the scoresheet for Freiburg in his first season but nonetheless caught the attention of multiple clubs.
Reports in Africa suggest that Ligue 1 side Lens are closely monitoring the player. Lens finished second in the French top tier and won the Coupe de France last month with a 3-1 victory over Nice at the Stade de France.
They are set to return to the UEFA Champions League next season for the fourth time in their history.
According to reports, the Blood and Gold have made initial contact with Freiburg in regards to Irie.
Palace in the mix
Following Oliver Glasner's departure, Crystal Palace have appointed former Lens boss Pierre Sage.
The 47-year-old led the French club to second in Ligue 1 behind double European champions Paris Saint-Germain as well as securing their first ever Coupe de France title.
Palace announced this week that Sage has signed a three-year contract, pending confirmation of his visa.
Sage pointed to "some amazing things" that were achieved by his predecessor in south London before adding: "Now I have to do the same. That's why we come here with a lot of ambition."
With Irie seemingly already on the radar at Lens, it's perhaps no surprise that Crystal Palace are now being mooted as a potential destination following Sage's defection to Selhurst Park.
After Eberechi Eze moved to Arsenal last summer, Palace turned to the likes of Spain international Yeremy Pino, Senegal's Ismaila Sarr and Brennan Johnson to fill their wide roles.
Despite their Conference League success, the Selhurst Park side slumped to 15th in the Premier League, their worst finishing position in a decade.
They were just six points clear of relegated London rivals West Ham United and incoming boss Sage will know there is a challenge to move them back towards mid-table in the 2026/27 campaign.
Freiburg set to consider their options
If Irie is to depart the Europa-Park Stadion this summer, he looks destined to have plenty of suitors.
A return to France isn't entirely dependent on Lens' interest being pursued under their new boss Dino Toppmöller, as fellow Ligue 1 outfits Marseille, Nice and Lille have also been linked to the winger.
The promising attacker stands at six-foot one-inch tall and has the speed and direct running game that makes him a target for some leading clubs.
When he signed for Freiburg last summer the German club announced that it had "been agreed that contract details shall remain undisclosed", so it remains unclear how long is left on his deal.
Sporting director Klemens Hartenbach said of the move: "It goes without saying that Cyriaque will be giving all the time he needs to adapt, since the step up to playing in the Bundesliga is a big one."
Whether or not the German side are willing to part with the promising attacker remains to be seen but new Crystal Palace boss Sage is set to monitor the situation closely, according to reports.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
