August 7 2026

Selhurst Park

Since winning the UEFA Conference League, it’s been a turbulent summer of outgoings for Crystal Palace, writes Ben Leyland.

Oliver Glasner departed for Nottingham Forest and Maxence Lacroix is gone, but there hasn’t been a similar flurry of activity with regard to incomings.

So far, Oscar Mingueza’s free transfer from Celta Vigo remains the Eagles’ sole signing. Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is also expected to join, having trained with Pierre Sage’s squad, but there is concern that the team have lost quality without replacing it following a 15th-place finish in the league.

With reports suggesting that Steve Parish and the board are having to work within both UEFA’s squad-cost rules and the Premier League’s new Squad Cost Ratio system, adding new names to the squad does not appear straightforward. But as the club prepares for a season of domestic and European football in the Europa League, what positions should the team be targeting before the transfer window closes?

Dominant centre-back remains the priority

Even with the pending arrival of Tomiyasu, there is still a need to bring in another starting centre-back. The Japanese international’s injury record makes for grim reading, and considering that Lacroix played over 4,600 minutes in all competitions last season while Tomiyasu played just 207 for Ajax, a regular fixture and leader in the back line is essential, particularly as Sage plans to play with three central defenders.

Chelsea’s Axel Disasi has been linked with Selhurst Park lately. And with the 28-year-old potentially available for loan this season, that would allow Palace to make a low-cost signing who would benefit the team in their hunt for a top-half finish. Currently, the club are 9/4 to end the season in the top 10, and those looking to back the Eagles in that market or any others can do so by making the most of UK free bets listed on Goal.com.

Versatile forward after loan signings depart

While not as important as signing first-team quality players at the opposite end of the pitch, Evann Guessand and Chrisantus Uche’s departures following loan spells have left Palace lacking a player who can operate across attacking positions. Additionally, Matheus França has returned from his loan at Vasco da Gama but could be in need of further development on loan, while Romain Esse’s future is also uncertain.

Zavier Gozo looks set to sign from Real Salt Lake, but operates best as a right winger or wing-back, and whether the team has sufficient funds to target another forward after his arrival remains unknown. However, it would not be surprising if this becomes a greater focus as transfer deadline day draws closer.

Central midfielder could become priority amid interest in Wharton

Lacroix might have been a big loss, but Palace might also be set for another high-profile departure in the coming weeks. Interest in Adam Wharton has persisted throughout the summer, and while that hasn’t turned into a formal bid yet, the Englishman has still been touted with a potential move to Chelsea and Liverpool.

Should Wharton depart, then that will leave the Eagles with a big hole to fill in midfield. The positive news is that any sale would come with a significant windfall, which would enable Palace not only to sign an adequate replacement – such as AC Milan’s Youssouf Fofana, whom Palace hold a reported interest in – but also address other positional needs too.