Crystal Palace are already well underway with their transfer business for the summer, with players both joining the club and leaving over the last few weeks.
Patrick Vieira, Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman are not expected to replicate the same squad overhaul seen last summer when Palace spent around £60million on new signings, though there are still key areas of the squad where investment is necessary.
The Eagles, along with the rest of the Premier League clubs, will be allowed to use five substitutes next season, meaning Vieira will likely need a bigger squad than the one he used during the last campaign. That could spell good news for several of the club’s young players including Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Tayo Adaramola, Luke Plange and new singing Malcolm Ebiowei, who will all get the chance to impress during pre-season.
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It’ll also provide Vieira with a chance to assess other members of his squad who have been linked with moves away from the club, in some cases due to replacements being signed and in others where players are simply not in the Frenchman's plans for next season.
So as pre-season is now underway for the majority of the Palace squad, football.london takes a look at the players that the club should keep and sell this summer.
Keep
Having made a significant number of signings last summer and following a promising first season under his leadership, Vieira is likely to want to keep the large majority of his squad together so he can continue to build on the good work already achieved.
The Frenchman has helped cultivate a huge wave of positivity at the club that is far away from some of the bleak scenes experienced at points during Roy Hodgson’s final season in charge of the club. The squad harmony has also been carefully managed, with Vieira, Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman all insistent that this isn’t damaged by too many changes this summer.
That means being smarter than ever in the transfer window, which is why tying down James McArthur, Jordan Ayew, Nathaniel Clyne and James Tomkins all to one-year contract extensions at the start of June was a sensible decision to make, keeping the experienced quartet in SE25 for another year where they no doubt will remain useful tools for Vieira throughout the 2022/23 campaign.
Palace seem to be operating with a policy of only offering one-year deals to players over 30 and have proved they aren't willing to budge when challenged as shown by Cheikhou Kouyate and his recent departure. The Senegal international became a free agent on Friday after reportedly refusing the same 12-month extension offered to his teammates, instead trying to hold out for a two-year deal.
His departure will be offset by the arrival of Lens midfielder Cheick Doucoure, with Palace’s faith in completing that deal likely playing some part in their steadfast refusal to cave to Kouyate’s demands. But signing £18milion replacements can’t be the solution for every departure, meaning some players - like club captain Luka Milivojevic - could well stay for one final season in south London.
The Serb had a difficult season under Vieira unaided by injury and the loss of his father during the early stages of the campaign and is also thought to be one of the highest earners in the team. football.london understands that Palace would be willing to listen to offers for Milivojevic but aren’t in any rush for him to leave, meaning the idea of him seeing out his deal and departing on a free next summer is still an option.
Doucoure’s arrival softens the blow of Kouyate’s departure but a replacement for Gallagher must also be found. If Jairo Riedewald is then also allowed to leave - having barely played last season and deemed surplus to requirements - it could leave Vieira short on options if the club fail to land other targets.
Elsewhere in the squad, Marc Guehi has attracted interest from Spurs but the chances of him leaving are incredibly slim. Palace understand that if the 21-year-old’s current development continues on its upward trajectory that clubs will come in for him but for now the player is entirely focused on his second full season with the club.
Wilfried Zaha’s situation is much less clear cut, with the Ivorian international out of contract next summer with seemingly no progress made so far on a new deal. Zaha had his best season in front of goal under Vieira last term and has struck up a strong relationship with the French coach. Whether it is enough to keep him at Selhurst Park remains to be seen but keeping him for the next 12 months gives Palace another year of his brilliance and more time to convince him to stay.
Sell
Palace’s outgoings this summer will largely depend on what other incoming business they complete, though there are players currently in the squad who would be available to leave should the right offer come in for them.
The club confirmed their released list of players last month which confirmed Martin Kelly’s departure upon the expiry of his contract, with the long-serving defender already penning a goodbye message to Palace fans some days after the club’s 1-0 win over Manchester United on the final day of the season. Jaroslaw Jach was also moved on after failing to get anywhere close to the first team during his four years on the club’s books.
Elsewhere, the recently-confirmed arrival of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone could push Jack Butland out of the club two years into his three-year contract. Palace now have Johnstone, Butland, long-term number one Vicente Guaita and third-choice Remi Matthews within their goalkeeping unit, with Butland unlikely to want to stick around if both Guaita and Johnstone are above him in the pecking order.
Several clubs have been with linked with a move for the former England international, who made 15 appearances for Palace last season across all competitions. It could be that he drops down to the Championship, with both Middlesbrough and Birmingham City mentioned as possible destinations for the 29-year-old, or even further afield, with Rangers also said to have an interest in him.
Then there is the aforementioned Riedewald who, despite being a popular member of the squad, failed to do enough to convince Vieira of his qualities last season, making just five appearances under the Frenchman. The Dutch midfielder is regularly mentioned by teammates as being a friendly face in the dressing room and is lauded for helping young players like Tyrick Mitchell and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi settle in the first-team environment after coming through the academy ranks.
But with his playing time expected to be extremely limited once again next season if he does stay in south London, Palace will be listening out for any offers they can get for the 25-year-old.
Up front, Christian Benteke still has one year remaining on the two-year deal he signed in June 2021 but is behind both Jean-Philippe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard in the pecking order under Vieira. The Belgian is one of the highest earners at the club and, should a situation arise where they can offload him and maybe bring in a younger replacement, it will definitely be considered.
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