Crystal Palace are reportedly among nine clubs interested in signing Bournemouth’s Jefferson Lerma on a free transfer this summer.

The Colombian international has played a key role in keeping the Cherries outside of the Premier League’s drop zone this season, with Gary O’Neil’s side nine points clear of the bottom three with three games left to play.

Lerma has played 34 of the 35 Premier League games so far, scoring five goals, but reports suggest the defensive midfielder is keeping his options open with just months left on his current Bournemouth contract.

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The Cherries, who signed Lerma for a club record fee from Spanish side Levante in the summer of 2018, are keen to extend his stay on the Dorset coast, but TeamTalk reports there is a long list of clubs interested in signing the Colombian on a free transfer this summer.

Crystal Palace have been named among a list of nine clubs that includes Premier League rivals West Ham United, Fulham, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest. They claim that there is also interest from clubs in France and Spain, with Nice, Lille, Real Betis and Villarreal mentioned.

In his five-year spell with Bournemouth, Lerma has amassed over 180 appearances for the club, scoring a total of 12 goals and providing eight assists. The 28-year-old has 33 international caps for Colombia, scoring his first goal for his country in a 2022 World Cup qualifier against Chile in October 2020.

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