9 transfer rumours from January Crystal Palace must consider revisiting this summer | OneFootball

Crystal Palace are facing a potentially crucial summer period where they will need to make some crucial decisions on and off the field that will determine the direction they are heading in.

The future of Roy Hodgson will need to be sorted out and if he is to move on from his role then they will need to identify the right sort of candidate to take over from him. That is something that could prove vital in seeing whether the Eagles can kick on in the Premier League.

Palace will also need to sort out some key business in the transfer market and they will need to bring in the right players to add extra quality to the squad. There were numerous transfer rumours circulating around the club in the winter window.

With those in mind, we have put together a list of nine potential rumours from January they could revisit this summer…

One potential Crystal Palace target in the January window that they might want to pursue again in the summer is Watford forward Ismaila Sarr.

Palace were reportedly ready to make a move for Sarr during the winter window if they could have got him for the right sort of price from Watford. However, the winger remained with the Hornets despite interest from other clubs as well and has helped them earn promotion.

Sarr recently suggested he is happy to stay at Watford, but Palace might be tempted to test that theory and make a move for him. He would be an exciting addition, all be it an unlikely one.

One transfer rumour that Crystal Palace are likely to once again be forced to revisit in the summer is the potential for clubs to be interested in their star-man Wilfried Zaha.

At the start of the January transfer window, there were reports that the likes of PSG and AC Milan had joined the list of long-term admirers of the attacker. Hodgson suggested he was relaxed about his future and in the end, Zaha remained at Selhurst Park as he has done in previous windows.

However, there is likely to be further interest in Zaha in the summer and Palace could have to fend off more speculation over him.

Crystal Palace might want to revisit their reported transfer interest in Reading star Michael Olise from January when the summer transfer window reopens.

Olise was reported to be on the Eagles’ radar alongside the likes of Leeds United and a host of other Premier League sides in the winter window. That came with him enjoying an excellent campaign with the Royals. However, he remained with them and has continued to impress.

There is going to be a lot of interest in Olise in the summer, but he is still under contract at Reading. Palace are going to have to work hard to secure his signature, but it would be an excellent move if they were able to bring him to Selhurst Park.

Another potential exciting forward player that Palace could make a move for in the summer, after being interested in them in January is Peterborough United’s Siriki Dembele.

It was reported in January that Palace were one of the clubs interested in making a potential move for Dembele with him enjoying an impressive campaign in League One. However, he has remained with the club and helped to fire them to promotion to the Championship.

It has been reported that Peterborough are in talks with Dembele over a new deal amid interest from a number of clubs. However, with him not yet signing any new contract, Palace could still make a move for him and he could be a potentially good investment for them.

A potential exit in the forward department that was rumoured in the winter window that Palace are surely going to have to revisit this summer involves Christian Benteke.

It was reported in the January transfer window that West Brom were interested in making a move for Benteke as they aimed to boost their survival chances. Since then, the forward has revealed that he rejected the chance to move to the Premier League strugglers.

Benteke has admitted that he is open to a new challenge and he is likely to be a player that moves on from Crystal Palace this summer and there could be a number of clubs that would be interested in taking him from the Eagles.

One other potential area that Palace could look to strengthen in the summer is in midfield, and they could revisit their interest in Huddersfield Town’s Lewis O’Brien from January.

Palace were reportedly interested in signing O’Brien in the winter window alongside both Sheffield United and Newcastle United. Although it was also reported that the Terriers had no interest in selling him at that stage and that they wanted to keep hold of him until at least the summer.

O’Brien has remained with Huddersfield and helped them ensure their survival in the Championship. However, surely Crystal Palace should now look to make a move for him and try and test the Terriers resolve to keep hold of him this summer.

In the midfield area, another move that was suggested could be on the cards in January that they might want to revisit this summer involves Derby County’s Jason Knight.

It was reported in the winter window that Palace were amongst the sides potentially keen to secure a move for Knight, with the midfielder having been impressing despite Derby’s struggles in the Championship. However, in the end, he remained with the Rams until at least the summer.

Given Derby’s struggles this term, Knight could potentially be willing to move on from the club and a move to Crystal Palace would surely appeal if they were to come back in for him.

Another potential exit rumour from the winter window that Crystal Palace are likely to have to revisit in the summer concerns defender Patrick van Aanholt.

The left-back was reportedly on the radar of Dutch giants Ajax in the winter window, but in the end, he remained at Selhurst Park until at least the end of the campaign. More recently, it has been reported by Sky Sports that the defender has been offered a pre-contract deal by Turkish side Galatasaray.

It, therefore, does seem likely that he will be leaving the Eagles in the summer and he would be a difficult player to replace for Palace.

The final potential transfer departure that was rumoured around the Eagles in the winter window that could be revisited in the summer involves defender Mamadou Sakho.

It had been reported that West Brom were interested in signing the defender in January and that the Baggies had made enquires into his potential availability. However, it is believed that a thigh injury suffered by Sakho dented the chances of any move happening.

Sakho is one of the players that are likely to leave the club in the summer, and it will be interesting to see if he attracts any more potential interest from West Brom or indeed elsewhere.