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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Simon Collings

Crystal Palace defender Pape Souare set to leave Selhurst Park next month with Marseille favourites for deal

Crystal Palace defender Pape Souare is set to leave the club next month when his contract expires.

The left-back moved to Selhurst Park in January 2015 after the Eagles paid Lille £3.45million to sign him.

Souare became a regular for Palace during the following season, missing just four Premier League games, and signed a new contract in January 2016.

However, the defender was involved in a car crash eight months later and was out injured for a year after breaking his jaw and thigh bone.

There were initial fears the 28-year-old might not play again but he has returned to action, although first-team appearances at Palace have been hard to come by.

Souare has played just four times this season and will now leave Selhurst Park next month when his deal runs out.

Available on a free transfer, the full-back is attracting interest from clubs in France - where he previously spent six-and-a-half years with Lille.

Marseille are the favourites to sign Souare, with the Ligue 1 club having previously explored the possibility of buying him back in January.

As well as Souare, forward Bakary Sako is expected to leave Palace next month when his contract expires.

The 31-year-old joined the club from West Brom on a six-month deal in January, but has made just four appearances.

Crystal Palace have already confirmed that goalkeeper Julian Speroni and midfielder Jason Puncheon will be leaving the club, with both players also out of contract.

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