Exclusive: Director who signed Bryan Mbeumo for £5m now an option to replace Dougie Freedman at Crystal Palace

TBR Football understand Lee Dykes – Technical Director at Brentford – is an option to replace Dougie Freedman at Crystal Palace.

The Glaswegian has suddenly decided to depart Selhurst Park to take up a role with Al-Diriyah in Saudi Arabia, leaving the Eagles without the man who signed the likes of Adam Wharton and Michael Olise for bargain fees.

Freedman – who Manchester United looked at in 2024 – also brought Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi to SE25 in his time as Director of Football.

Now – however – TBR Football understand Lee Dykes of Brentford is on the shortlist for Steve Parish as Crystal Palace aim to find a replacement for the Scot.

Crystal Palace could hire Lee Dykes

Graeme Bailey – Chief Correspondent at TBR Football – has now been informed that the Englishman is a candidate to replace Freedman in south London.

We understand Dykes is very highly rated within the Premier League, and was considered by Newcastle – as well as Manchester United – when both sides were looking to improve their footballing departments.

The 41-year-old has done a tremendous job ever since joining Brentford in 2019 as Head of Scouting, before he was named Technical Director in 2022, helping develop the Bees into an established Premier League side.

TBR Football are also aware that Kieran Scott of Middlesbrough is another potential replacement for Freedman.

Lee Dykes best signings

While Crystal Palace fans will naturally be upset to see Freedman depart – given his many outstanding signings – Dykes boasts a decent track record in this respect himself.

It was Dykes who brought Bryan Mbeumo to London from Troyes in August 2019 for a sum of just £5m – with the Cameroon international now one of the best players in the Premier League.

Newcastle now want Mbeumo – who Brentford value at £50m.

Dykes also helped to sign David Raya from Blackburn in a £3m deal – with the Spaniard now No.1 at Arsenal.