Ivorian descent Romain Esse has spoken for the first time since completing a club record £14.5 million transfer from Millwall to join South London rivals Crystal Palace.
The Lambeth-born winger was officially announced as a Palace player on Saturday morning, signing a five-and-a-half-year deal at Selhurst Park.
Esse, who made 66 appearances for Millwall after progressing through their youth system, will be eligible to play for Palace in their Premier League fixture next weekend against Brentford.
Eagles sporting director Dougie Freedman is known for discovering top young talent in the Championship, with notable successes including Adam Wharton, Michael Olise, and Eberechi Eze. Olise, who plays in the same position as Esse, left for Bayern Munich in the summer for £50 million.
“I’m very much looking forward to it – I’m really excited,” Esse told PalaceTV. “It’s a great project and opportunity – I can’t wait to get started. It’s been a long process, but I’m just happy it’s finally done. The club is heading in a fantastic direction.
“The next step in my development is very important. I believe this is the best place for me. I can’t wait to start playing under the manager.
“This is the perfect environment for opportunities and to elevate my game to the next level to advance my career. I’m eager to play in the Premier League, and most importantly, for Crystal Palace.”
International
On 22 March 2023, Esse debuted for England U18 in a 2-1 victory over Croatia in Medulin. Then, on 6 September 2023, he made his debut for England U19 during a 1-0 loss to Germany in Oliva.
