Crystal Palace are heading into an important decision point with Jefferson Lerma, as his contract situation and growing interest from Turkey continue to shape the conversation.
German journalist Dominik Schneider reports that Lerma’s deal runs until June 2026. Palace hold an option to extend it by a further year, but the club are not keen to use it at this stage. The key detail is simple. Lerma wants to leave and look for a new challenge.
Because of that, Palace may prefer to keep control of the timing rather than extend a contract against the player’s wishes. That dynamic also opens the door to discussions about a possible sale, instead of letting the situation drift.
Turkish clubs remain in the picture
Turkey continues to sit firmly in the background. Besiktas pushed hard to sign Lerma in the summer of 2025, with talks reaching an advanced stage. The deal collapsed late on after Palace failed to give final approval, but the interest never fully disappeared.
That history matters. With Lerma now closer to the end of his contract and Palace unwilling to trigger their extension option, Turkish clubs feel they hold a stronger position than they did last year.
Galatasaray angle and market value
There is also a fresh layer involving Galatasaray. An insider source close to the club claims Lerma was already offered to Galatasaray by his representatives, only for the move to be initially vetoed.
Even so, the situation remains fluid. Lerma’s reported market value has dropped to around £6.8m (€8m), which changes the maths. For clubs looking for a physical, experienced and ready-made midfielder, that price now looks far more reasonable, especially with Champions League ambitions in mind.
January or summer for Crystal Palace player?
For now, a January move cannot be completely ruled out, even if it is not the expected outcome. Palace could face pressure to consider a lower fee in the winter window rather than carry the situation into the final stretch of the contract.
For now, a summer exit still feels like the most natural scenario. What looks clearer is that Lerma and Palace are moving in the same direction. The remaining questions are about timing, price and which Turkish club, if any, make the decisive move.