Crystal Palace concluded the transfer window having signed four players, and manager Roy Hodgson says he is content with their business.
In came midfielder Jefferson Lerma on a free transfer from Bournemouth, the 19-year-old forward Matheus Franca from Brazilian side Flamengo, goalkeeper Dean Henderson from Manchester United and Arsenal centre-back Rob Holding. Palace lost Wilfried Zaha on a free to Galatasaray after his contract expired, but otherwise kept hold of their best players, with Michael Olise’s decision to sign a new contract, in particular, feeling like a coup in itself.
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But with Hodgson himself admitting Palace were three players short after the recent draw at Brentford, and only two more arriving since then, the squad still feels light — especially in forward areas.
The best piece of business this summer is…
Bringing in Lerma looks to be an excellent signing. The 28-year-old has already impressed alongside Cheick Doucoure in a defensive midfield role but his versatility will allow him to play further up the pitch, as he showed in the second half at Brentford when he got into more forward areas — as underlined by his touch map from the game (shooting from left to right).
It has relieved some of the pressure that been building on Doucoure as the lone defensive midfielder last year and should help provide Palace’s attacking players with more freedom to get forward.
The arrival of Holding is the surprise of the window for Palace. But the 27-year-old was available on a relatively cheap deal at £1million ($1.3m) with £2.5million ($3.1m) in potential add-ons and will offer extra cover at centre-back should either Joachim Andersen or Marc Guehi suffer injury or be handed suspensions. He could also fill in at full-back if necessary.
Holding has made almost 100 Premier League appearances for Arsenal over seven years and so brings ample experience to a side which otherwise is slightly lacking in that know-how.
Hodgson revealed that sporting director Dougie Freedman knew the defender and expected him to bring quality to the squad. “We’re working on the basis that you can’t have too many good-quality players in your squad,” Hodgson said. “If he was available and it’s a deal that is doable I’d be very happy to work with him.”
Rob Holding (Michael Regan/Getty Images)The problem they don’t look to have solved is…
Their lack of quality and options up front. There was interest in Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho and in the Southampton player Che Adams, while Paris Saint-Germain striker Hugo Ekitike was also a target.
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Ultimately, however, none arrived, which leaves just Odsonne Edouard or Jean-Philippe Mateta as Hodgson’s strike options — neither of whom have convinced since their arrival at Selhurst Park.
The pair will need to improve significantly to play a notable part and make a considerable difference to Palace’s season. The pressure will be on Eberechi Eze and, when they return from injury, Franca and Olise to be creative and goalscoring outlets.
Kelechi Iheanacho (Pete Norton/Getty Images)The deal that has left fans with questions is…
It is not so much that the signing of Dean Henderson from Manchester United for up to £20million has prompted anger but rather the fact he was signed when Palace’s most pressing need was at the other end of the pitch. No one believes this was poor value or an underwhelming signing, but it wasn’t as necessary as bringing in a forward.
Signing a goalkeeper was never the top priority — even after Vicente Guaita told the club he wished to leave after losing his position as No 1 — but Palace saw an opportunity to bring in a top-quality player who, at 26, is a good age. They believe he will improve the squad in the immediate term but also, should he impress as they hope, then he will be worth significantly more than they paid and can be flipped for a profit. In that sense, he fits with Palace’s recruitment strategy.
The one who got away is…
Ekitike was the most attention-grabbing deal that didn’t come off. The 21-year-old would have bolstered the squad, improved the attacking options and sprinkled some stardust on the club.
The player was available, but Palace’s preference was for a loan deal while PSG wanted an outright sale. And, even if a compromise had been struck on deadline day, by that point there would not have been time to complete the formalities — in particular a medical — before the 11pm cut-off. Ekitike ultimately remains at PSG, for now at least.
Hugo Ekitike (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images)The signing fans will be most envious of is…
It might not be something any Palace fan would like to admit, but it is difficult not to be envious of Brighton’s transfer activity.
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Their signing of the 20-year-old forward Ansu Fati on loan from Barcelona is an exciting one which highlights the difference between the two clubs when it comes to financing and attracting new arrivals (it helps being able to offer the incentive of European football).
Given Palace haven’t signed a much-needed attacker this summer, it will be even more galling to see this move go through.
My early tip for January is…
Not to have high expectations. Palace are rarely prolific in the January window, believing value is hard to come by. The budgetary restraints which have hampered them through the summer will not magically disappear in four months’ time.
Unless the club is deep in relegation trouble, or they feel new arrivals would make a significant difference, or there is particularly good value to be found, they are unlikely to be busy.
The club’s strongest XI now is…
When everyone is fit there isn’t too much competition. The main question is who should start up front. Given his performances when he occasionally took the role last season, and at times in Hodgson’s first spell at Palace, Jordan Ayew might even be considered for that role.
Otherwise it is surely Edouard, even if Mateta is still at the club after his hat-trick exploits against Plymouth on Tuesday. But none of the options are particularly exciting. Franca is unproven and will need time to develop but could prove the best option on the left flank in time. For now, though, it is probably Ayew in an unfamiliar role on the left.
There is an argument as to whether Joel Ward or Nathaniel Clyne are better at right-back, but Ward is possibly still the stronger option of the pair.
Henderson, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Doucoure, Olise, Eze, Ayew, Edouard.
Ins:
Jefferson Lerma — Bournemouth, free transfer
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Mattheus Franca — Flamengo, undisclosed
Justin Devenny – Airdrieonians FC, undisclosed
Rob Holding — Arsenal, £1m plus £2.5m in add-ons
Dean Henderson – Manchester United, £15m plus £5m in add-ons
Out:
Wilfried Zaha — Galatasaray, free transfer
James McArthur — released
Luka Milivojevic — released
Jack Butland — Rangers, free transfer
Rob Street — Cheltenham, undisclosed
Owen Goodman — Colchester, loan
Kofi Balmer — Port Vale, loan
Malachi Boateng — Dundee, loan
Luke Plange — Carlisle United, loan
Chris Francis — AFC Bournemouth
Fionn Mooney – Real Valladolid, undisclosed
Scott Banks – St Pauli, loan
Killian Phillips – Wycombe Wanderers, loan
John-Kymani Gordon – Cambridge United, loan
(Top photos: Getty Images)
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