After a spectacular second half, the Eagles finished the 2014/15 season in the top half of the Premier League.
Amid the latest transfer gossip linking the club to more ambitious targets than ever before, it would seem that the club is really looking to push forward over this summer in the transfer market.
Arguably, significant spending would be necessary for Palace to improve on last season’s success, and now that the club are financially in a healthier position to do so, we look at what positions Alan Pardew and his backroom team are looking to strengthen, and who their targets may be.
Goalkeeper
With Wayne Hennessey continuously being linked with a move away in an attempt to get more first team football, Lewis Price leaving as a free agent this summer and Julian Speroni being 36 years old and having only a year left on his contract, that leaves the club with just Chris Kettings.
Depending on the availability of suitable targets and Hennessey’s future, Pardew could well be in desperate need of another keeper for the upcoming season.
Steve Mandanda – A relatively big name in France, the Marseille player has been at his current club for a while and recent interviews have suggested that he could be in search of a new challenge. With Mandanda being 30 years of age, and bragging 19 caps for the French national team and over 300 appearances for his current employers, he would provide a wealth of experience to the Palace squad. However, Marseille are probably not going to let their first choice captain go without a fight. Only time will tell to whether this move is likely, but London based newspaper Metro have recently claimed that Palace have already made enquiries.
Tim Krul – A classic ex-Pardew link. The Dutch international has consistently proved himself in the Premier League, as well as on the international stage, making him a potentially safe signing. Pardew has previously ruled out the move back in March, but with the possibility of Hennessey leaving this summer, this could change.
Iker Casillas – At first this sounded completely far-fetched, but more and more rumours are arising of this potential move. Spanish newspaper AS have reported that should David De Gea complete his move to Real Madrid, London would be Casillas’s preferred destination. With Tottenham and Arsenal being among the other interested English teams, it would seem that seeing the Spanish international in a red and blue shirt is still unlikely. However, this could indeed change if Petr Cech moves to Arsenal, and Manchester United choose someone other than Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris to replace De Gea, should he choose to leave.
Alex McCarthy – Its easy to forget that McCarthy plays for Queens Park Rangers, as he has spent the majority of his time playing number two to Robert Green, making just three appearances last season in the Premier League. At 25 years old, McCarthy is still very young for a goalkeeper, and has shown signs of potential earlier in his career whilst he was playing at Reading, even being included in England’s squad for the friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil. He also narrowly missed out on making the 18-man cut for the 2012 Olympics Great Britain team. Born in Guildford, McCarthy is a relatively local lad, and would relish another chance in the top flight.
Left Back
The Eagles have found it difficult to find a consistent left back since arriving back into the top flight in 2013.
Joel Ward found himself playing in the unfamiliar position whilst Tony Pulis was in charge, and has again been played there again this season under both Neil Warnock and Alan Pardew.
Ward is one of the most consistent players in the squad, and Pardew is eager to play him back in his natural position of right back. January signing Pape Soaure has initially struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League, so could Pardew be looking at other targets to fill the position?
Ashley Cole – Cole has been linked with Palace in every transfer window over the past year. Following his brief loan spell with the Eagles in the 99/00 season, Cole has gone on to have a remarkable career filled with silverware. Now at 34 years of age, the left back has really struggled to tie down a regular place in the Roma team, making only a mere 11 league appearances in the 14/15 season. With sources close to the left back suggesting that Cole is looking for a move back to London, will Palace renew their interest in securing England’s most capped full back?
Ben Davies – London24 are reporting that Pardew is interested in signing the Tottenham full back. Following Danny Rose’s form this season, Davies has found his chances in the first team limited, despite Spurs paying £10m for him. Because of this large fee, Tottenham are unlikely to let Davies go for cheap, with a loan move looking like the most suitable options for both parties. His versatility of being able to play across the back three positions attracts Pardew, as he looks to provide himself with more defensive options.
Rod Fanni – Fanni is a free agent this summer, and is attracting interest from other clubs including Southampton. At 33 years of age, Fanni would provide vast experience to the squad, at a seemingly cheap cost, although it is reported that he could command wages as high as £80k per week. The French defender typically plays at right back, and has previously stated his desire to play in the Premier League. Do Palace need another right back, with Ward, Kelly and Mariappa currently occupying the options for the position?
George Friend – The Middlesbrough left back has proven to be a very consistent performer for Aitor Karanka’s side. After Boro missed out on promotion after losing the Championship Play-off Final to Norwich City, Friend has once again been linked with the Eagles. Much like Martin Kelly, Friend is very tall as full backs go, standing at 6”2, and he can also play comfortably at center back. The lure of top flight football could perhaps force a move for the defender, with West Bromwich Albion being amongst the potentials suitors.
Central Midfield
Under Pardew, the team has really thrived under it’s counter-attacking expertise, achieving many shock results away from home, including a comfortable 3-1 battering of Liverpool.
However, Palace have been found out several times this season whilst playing at home, where the away team have naturally sat back and have proved to be too difficult to break down. The home losses against West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Aston Villa all reflect this.
Whilst centre midfield regulars Mile Jedinak, Joe Ledley and James McArthur all provide unquestionably high work rates and quality defensive work, they do not seem to be capable of splitting open opposition defences and consistently creating clear cut chances.
Jason Puncheon has found himself playing in the advanced central role towards the end of the season, but Alan Pardew does not want to rely on the converted winger. Some fans are calling for Barry Bannan to be given more chances of this role in the first team, and with rumours that former manager Tony Pulis is interested in Mile Jedinak, it would seem that Pardew is looking elsewhere.
Yohan Cabaye – Cabaye has recently found himself struggling to get first team football since his £19m move to Paris Saint Germain from Newcastle United, making only 13 league-starts for the French giants. The attraction of linking up again with former manager Alan Pardew clearly interests Cabaye, as Sky Sports claim that he is ‘open to the move’. The playmaker enjoyed remarkable success in his performances for the Magpies under Pardew, displaying his impressive distribution, vision and set piece taking, even contributing 17 goals in 79 appearances for the club. At 29 years old and with 38 caps for France, could Cabaye be the marquee signing for Palace that could solve the home form problem and help propel the South London club even higher next season? With West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur both interested in the player, surely Pardew and the Palace board will do everything in their power to secure him for the Eagles next season.
Jonjo Shelvey – Another target that has been linked with Palace on several occasions, Shelvey has once again been linked with a move to Selhurst via the Mirror earlier this year, around the same time that Bafetimbi Gomis was. Shelvey has impressed while he has been at Swansea City, scoring some truly memorable goals, including his 60-yard lob against Aston Villa. He possesses great composure on the ball, and has demonstrated his ability to spread the play for the Swans. Beginning his career at local rivals Charlton Athletic, Shelvey grew up in South East London, so a move to Palace would be a chance to move much closer to home.
Moussa Dembele – The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has recently been made available for transfer by Mauricio Pochettino, three years after the North-London club paid £15m for him from Fulham. Dembele has been deployed in many positions, mainly a central holding midfield role whilst he has been at Spurs, but he has arguably played his best football when played in a more advanced role under Martin Jol at Fulham, where he enjoyed more creative freedom. Due to his transfer listing, Dembele could be available for a very alluring price, and the short switch from north to South London would potentially suit the player himself.
Striker
Despite Glenn Murray’s prolific run of form in the Palace team in the second half of the season, recent links suggest that Palace are looking to strengthen in this area. With Yaya Sanogo returning to Arsenal, Shola Ameobi leaving on a free and a Dwight Gayle exit looking more and more likely, the Eagles would welcome another big signing to strengthen their attacking line.
Loic Remy – Following a successful season in terms of silverware, yet an unsuccessful season for playing time, Remy has recently been heavily linked with a chance to reunite with Alan Pardew. The French striker found himself down pecking order at Chelsea, but has proved himself when given the chance to play by Jose Mourinho, starting only 6 games but scoring 7 goals. Following Radamel Falcao’s likely loan move to the Premier League champions, Remy will find it even harder to become the club’s number one choice next season, at a time where he needs to be playing regular football to stand a chance of playing at Euro 2016 with France. Standing at 6”1, and possessing a proven track record in the Premier League for multiple clubs, Remy seems to be the number one target in this area for Palace, although Chelsea have most recently lumped a £15 million price tag on his head. The move now largely depends on whether Alan Pardew and Steve Parish deem the striker to be worth the hefty fee.
Demba Ba – According to Talksport, the Eagles are considering a move for the former Newcastle United and Chelsea man. A very similar target to Loic Remy, Ba has played some of his best football under Pardew at Newcastle. Since his move to Turkish club Besiktas, he has bagged 23 goals in 39 appearances, and his powerful playing-style would suit the lone-striker role that Pardew has regularly employed towards the end of last season.
Charlie Austin – Previously linked to Crystal Palace in March, Austin is considering his options this summer as Queens Park Rangers were relegated to the Championship. Having scored 38 goals in 73 appearances in all competitions for QPR over the last two seasons, and gaining himself a recent call up to the England squad, Austin has attracted interest from many other English clubs, including Steve McLaren’s Newcastle.
Callum Wilson – Following Bournemouth’s recent interest in Dwight Gayle, it has been reported that Palace suggested a player exchange including Wilson in the deal. This has since been rejected by the newly promoted club, as they would prefer to keep their top goalscorer of 22 goals from last season. Callum Wilson’s explosive pace has devastated defences in League One and in the Championship, so could he inflict the same damage in the top flight?
