Crystal Palace eye summer Watford transfer swoop | OneFootball

Edo Kayembe is reportedly on the Eagles' radar

Watford midfielder Edo Kayembe is on the radar of Premier League outfit Crystal Palace ahead of the summer window, following his impressive performances this season, according to a new report.

Kayembe has been a key man at the base of midfield in the Hornets' play-off push under Tom Cleverley so far this term, but could move on in the coming months amid interest from the top-flight.

The DR Congo international has been with Watford for three years now, after a £4 million move from Belgian side Eupen in January 2022. He has been an important player across numerous seasons at Vicarage Road, but arguably none more so than this campaign.

Edo Kayembe tracked by Crystal Palace ahead of the summer window

Kayembe has featured 34 times for the Hornets in all competitions this season, with seven goals and one assist to his name up to now. He has undoubtedly been a standout in WD18 over the campaign, so it is no surprise to see him linked with a big transfer in the summer.

According to Africa Foot, the 26-year-old is in Crystal Palace's sights, and the Eagles are paying close attention to his performances ahead of a potential move for his services once the transfer window opens again.

This is not the first time the Hornets' midfield enforcer has been linked with a switch to the Premier League, after Ipswich Town had reportedly opened talks with his representatives about the possibility of signing him last summer, but a move never materalised, much to Watford's benefit.

Watford will not want to lose Edo Kayembe at any cost

The Hornets have been largely inconsistent this season, but are still very much in with a chance of a top-six finish in the Championship this season. If they are to make a push for the play-offs and achieve their goal over the coming months, Kayembe is undoubtedly set to be an important part of that potential success.

It hasn't always been plain sailing for the DR Congo international at Vicarage Road since his arrival a little over three years ago, after he missed the majority of the 2022/23 campaign with a serious calf injury, and also struggled to nail down a starting berth throughout the first half of last season.

He has, though, been offered a much-improved role under Cleverley this term, and has repaid his rookie head coach's faith with consistently solid performances in the middle of the park, with goals that have seen him become the club's second-highest scorer in the league in 2024/25 so far.

Kayembe is a strong passer who is able to recover the ball well to stop attacks from the opposition. He has also made mazy runs forward from midfield a trademark of his game, which have clearly caught the attention of Palace and boss Oliver Glasner ahead of next season.