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Crystal Palace have moved into the strongest position to sign Lecce defender Tiago Gabriel. The Eagles are now leading the race for the Portuguese centre-back. Bournemouth have been heavily linked with the 21-year-old in recent weeks. We covered reports from Italy and Portugal that the Cherries had repeatedly scouted him and were expected to step up their interest. More recently, Lecce’s €20m (£17.3m) asking price also became clear. Now, according to Record, Crystal Palace have moved to the front of the queue for the defender. Palace take the lead The Portuguese newspaper reports Tiago Gabriel is now almost certain to leave Lecce this summer, with Benfica no longer in the running for his signature after previously being linked with the Portugal U21 international. Lecce continue to demand around €20m (£17.3m) for the defender. He impressed during his first full Serie A campaign. Record adds that Roma and Como have both made enquiries over Tiago Gabriel without following up with formal offers. Paris FC are the only club to have officially expressed interest. However, a move to the French side is not the player’s preferred option. The Premier League now appears the most likely destination for Tiago Gabriel. And Crystal Palace currently leading the race and Bournemouth still in the picture after tracking the defender for months. The defender joined Lecce from Estrela da Amadora for around €1.25m (£1.08m) in January 2025. He enjoyed an excellent 2025/26 season, making 39 appearances in all competitions and scoring twice as the Italian side secured Serie A survival. Whether Bournemouth decide to respond remains to be seen. However, the latest update suggests the Cherries now have ground to make up if they want to win the race for one of Serie A’s emerging young centre-backs. 🚨 Ismaïla Sarr asked about transfer to Manchester United ➡️ All down to Crystal Palacehttps://t.co/NKyt8TmBUb #mufc #cpfc — Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) July 21, 2026