Crystal Palace are keen on signing Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic in the upcoming transfer window, as reported by journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

What's the latest transfer news on Lukic?

Lukic has reportedly attracted interest from a number of clubs across Europe, although two sides are believed to be leading the race for his signature as things stand.

Palace are one of these teams, along with Russian side Spartak Moscow, and it is understood that Lukic is intrigued by the chance to play in the Premier League, indicating that a move to Selhurst Park could be on the cards.

How much is Lukic worth and when does his contract expire?

According to Transfermarkt, Lukic is only worth £4.5m, suggesting that he could be a relatively cheap transfer for the Eagles this summer.

He does still have three years left on his contract, though, which could lead to Torino seeking a higher fee as it seems that they are not under immediate pressure to sell the 24-year-old at this stage.

What were Lukic's stats this season?

Lukic, who has 18 caps to his name for Serbia, featured in 32 league matches for Torino in Serie A in 2020/21.

He started the campaign strongly by scoring in consecutive games against Sassuolo, Lazio and Genoa back in October and November, but he failed to find the net again for the rest of the season.

Overall, he received an average WhoScored match rating of 6.48, which only ranked him 15th amongst his teammates, and was a lower mark than the ones earned by Palace midfielders James McArthur (6.84) and Luka Milivojevic (6.55). 

Could Freedman be about to make a transfer blunder?

That seems to be the case.

This summer promises to be a huge one for Palace's sporting director Dougie Freedman, as he must find a replacement for Roy Hodgson, while also trying to piece together a competitive squad, with the club having a host of players out of contract at the end of the month.

Going after Lukic does not appear to be the wisest investment. A couple of years ago this might have made more sense, as Lukic helped Torino to a seventh-placed finish in 2018/19, and then played in four qualifying games for the Europa League at the start of the 2019/20 season. At that point, Lukic and Torino seemed to be on the rise.

However, the club have lost their way in the last two campaigns, finishing 16th and 17th respectively, only narrowly avoiding relegation. With the side battling to beat the drop in 2020/21, Lukic was not a guaranteed starter for Torino in the closing weeks of the season, suggesting that he could not be trusted to step up when the team needed to pick up results to remain in Serie A.

If Lukic cannot stand out in a team struggling so badly over in Italy, can he really be expected to flourish at an established Premier League club?

Freedman should be looking to bring in players who can push Palace forwards, making the side realistic contenders for a top-half finish next term. Lukic has not shown in the last two years that he would be an upgrade on the options that the team already have at their disposal, so Palace would be better off looking for alternative options rather than spending money on someone who is unlikely to improve the side.