Crystal Palace Signs Israel Winger Anan Khalaili

Crystal Palace have moved quickly to seize an opportunity others let slip, completing the signing of Israel winger Anan Khalaili from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

The 21-year-old has agreed a five-year contract at Selhurst Park, the club confirmed on Saturday, with the deal still subject to international clearance. British reports value the transfer at 24.5 million euros ($28 million), a significant outlay that underlines how highly Palace rate the right-sided attacker.

Just weeks ago, Khalaili looked set for a very different future.

Inter Milan had reached an agreement to bring him to Serie A, only for the move to collapse after he was not granted medical clearance. Inter president Giuseppe Marotta addressed the situation publicly, stressing that the decision had been taken out of the club’s hands.

“Italy has very strict legislation protecting players' health, with decisions made by an independent body rather than the club's medical staff. We have to abide by this decision,” Marotta said at the time.

The deal died there. Palace stepped in.

For the London club, it is a calculated gamble on a player whose rise has been rapid. Khalaili came through the ranks at hometown side Maccabi Haifa before earning his move to Union Saint-Gilloise in 2024, using the Belgian club as a springboard into one of Europe’s top leagues.

He already has 16 caps for Israel, experience that belies his age and fits the profile Palace have been building toward: young, technical, with room to grow and resale value to match.

Khalaili becomes Palace’s fifth signing of the summer window, joining Óscar Mingueza, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Dwight McNeil and Evann Guessand in a reshaped squad that suddenly looks far deeper on the flanks and in defensive versatility.

Inter’s loss, as the saying goes, could yet be Palace’s gain.