Alex Song poised for third-successive Premier League loan

Barcelona midfielder Alex Song is set for a third-successive season on loan in the Premier League – but this time not with West Ham, but with Crystal Palace.

According to Sport Witness, who quote Spanish source Sport, Alan Pardew and Crystal Palace are hopeful of negotiating a deal to sign the former Arsenal midfielder for the upcoming season.

The retired Cameroon international signed for the La Liga champions from Arsenal for a reported £15m in 2012, and made 65 appearances in two seasons but failed to impress, and was subsequently loaned to West Ham in the summer of 2014.

During his first six months in East London, Song was arguably the club’s best player and was being linked with full-time returns to the Premier League with Liverpool and Manchester City.

However, his form deteriorated somewhat after Christmas and the supposed interest in him had died down. Still, the Hammers saw enough in Song to push ahead for a permanent transfer.

The transfer ‘saga’ went on throughout the summer of 2015, withe Song failing to reach an agreement with Barcelona to terminate his contract to allow him to join the Hammers on a free transfer. An ankle injury was also hindering his progress in pre-season and he was unable to take part in any medical.

Ultimately, a deal was struck for Song to return on a second season-long loan, with an option to extend the loan by an extra season which was declined at the end of the 2015/16 season following an unimpressive campaign where he only made 15 appearances, leading to his return to the Catalan giants.

Barcelona are keen to get rid of Alex Song this summer, and his £140,000-a-week wages, and are hopeful they can strike a deal with Crystal Palace to sign him.

The Hammers have already sourced his replacement in the squad with the signing of Havard Nordtveit on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach. Slaven Bilic could also be prepared to hand a role in the first-team to former Charlton starlet Diego Poyet, who has been used sparingly in the two years since he joined on a free transfer.