An incredible summer transfer window is over. Whilst it was slow to get going due to the various international tournaments during June and July, it turned into one of the more wild rides in Premier League transfer window history.
It had everything from records being broken to legends returning home. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how some of the less prominent sides in the Premier League fared this window.
Here we are. The Eagles. Crystal Palace. They have been my favorite whipping boys this pre-season. No chance. Forget relegation fodder, relegation certainties in my eyes.
Well, I am man enough to say I may have judged the staff and coach Patrick Vieira and their abilities to rebuild a broken squad too harshly.
So let’s get on with it.
First things first. This may have been the first summer transfer window in quite some time that Wilfred Zaha hasn’t been linked with anyone and hasn’t been angling to move on. That’s something that shouldn’t be dismissed. Huge for the South Londoners.
Secondly – the training sessions at Selhurst park are very likely to have a bit more zip about them. They have gone from having one of the oldest squads in the league at an average age of 29.2 years old to have an average age closer to 27 years old.
Trimming a full two years off of your entire squad’s average age is no mean feat. And it’s not as if they have bought youth for youth’s sake. Michael Olise is a young talent with a huge upside.
Anyone who watched Reading in the Championship can attest to that. Connor Gallagher will benefit from the playing time the Eagles will give him and his early season performances would suggest Crystal Palace will benefit hugely also.
Marc Guehi is a tremendous get and I think he can go on to big things at Palace.
And even though Will Hughes seems like he’s been around forever he is still only 26 and should be reaching the prime of his career. Finally, the signing of Odsonne Edouard from Celtic gives them a different look upfront to the tired old approaches with Benteke or Ayew leading the line. Edouard is going to change the way this club plays and there is no reason why he can’t be a 20 goal a season striker for them.
I have said in the past that if Palace is to have any chance, they can’t make any missteps in the transfer market. On paper, it looks like they haven’t.
If they can translate that to results on the pitch, I will happily eat my slice of humble pie and admit I was wrong.
In
- Conor Gallagher (Chelsea, loan)
- Will Hughes (Watford)
- Jacob Montes (Georgetown University)
- Michael Olise (Reading)
- Remi Matthews (Free)
- Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)
- Joachim Andersen (Lyon)
- Odsonne Edouard (Celtic)
Out
- Andros Townsend (Everton)
- Sion Spence (Bristol Rovers) Loan
- Stephen Henderson (released)
- Wayne Hennessey (Burnley)
- Mamadou Sakho (released)
- Patrick van Aanholt (released)
- Gary Cahill (released)
- Scott Dann (Reading) Loan
TRANSFER WINDOW GRADE – C
SIGNING OF THE WINDOW – MAXWEL CORNET