West Ham United could hijack Crystal Palace’s move for Brighton centre-back Igor Julio, who has turned down a switch to Selhurst Park.

According to Charlie Parker-Turner, Igor Julio will not be joining Crystal Palace despite an agreement being reached between the Eagles and Brighton. The Brazilian defender is seeking regular first-team action, something Oliver Glasner cannot guarantee him. As a result, he has turned down the move to Selhurst Park.

With the Crystal Palace move now off, West Ham United are looking to hijack the deal. The Hammers have been in the mix from the start, but they were behind Palace in the race for his signature. Recent developments, however, have handed Graham Potter’s side an opportunity to land the 27-year-old.

Igor Julio made a name for himself at Fiorentina before joining the Seagulls in the summer of 2023. While the South American defender had an impressive debut campaign, a serious injury kept him on the sidelines for the majority of last season.

While he is back fit, the Brazilian centre-back has gone down the pecking order. The player still has two years left on his deal at the club, but since he is not guaranteed to play week in and week out, the former Fiorentina star seeks a move away from the club.

Crystal Palace fail to sign Igor Julio

The Seagulls are ready to sanction his departure, as long as their demands are met. Crystal Palace and West Ham have been keen on his signature since the start. The Eagles are preparing for the potential departure of Marc Guehi. They are looking to sign multiple central defenders to cope with his exit.

Igor Julio has been quite high on their wishlist. They were in talks with Brighton & Hove Alnion and managed to strike a deal with the Seagulls regarding a seson long loan deal. While personal terms were not going to be an issue, the 27-year-old wanted assurance on game time.

Igor Julio could end up joining West Ham

Oliver Glasner could not guarantee Igor Julio regular minutes. As a result, the 27-year-old has decided against moving to Selhurst Park. While the Eagles were in pole position to sign him, the move is now off. West Ham, who have been monitoring his situation closely, see this as a great opportunity to sign a top-quality defender to bolster their backline.

The Hammers are looking to hijack the deal in the final hours of the transfer deadline. The player is in talks with the east London club, and if things go according to plan, he could be joining Graham Potter’s team on a season-long loan.