Jefferson Lerma is set to join Crystal Palace on a free transfer when his contract with Bournemouth expires in the summer. The 28-year-old Colombia midfielder has been a key player for Gary O’Neil’s side this season, having missed just one league match and helping Bournemouth comfortably avoid relegation. He signed for the Cherries in 2018 from Levante for a fee of around £25m.
Crystal Palace will be losing two of their key midfielders – captain Luka Milivojevic and James McArthur – when their contracts also expire at the end of the season. Lerma has plenty of Premier League and international experience, having scored 12 goals in 99 top-flight appearances for Bournemouth, playing 183 games for the club in total, plus one goal in 33 games for Colombia.
It is not yet known who will be managing Crystal Palace next season, with Roy Hodgson announcing on Friday that he expects to step down when his short-term deal finishes at the end of the campaign. Hodgson was appointed in March following the sacking of Patrick Vieira with the Eagles just three points above the relegation zone. They are now 13 points clear in 11th place with one match of the season remaining – at home to Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are 15th, eight points above the bottom three, with a final game at relegation-threatened Everton.