Crystal Palace successfully managed to escape the drop, achieving a total of 44 points to finish 11th in the league. Palace were inspired by the stellar performances of Wilfried Zaha, who was a messiah for the Eagles last season.
In a striker’s role, the former Manchester United winger scored 9 goals and provided 3 assists in 29 appearances. Palace were made to suffer when the Ivorian was out injured, such was his influence and role in the squad.
Eagles manager Roy Hodgson will now have to make a few additions to the squad to prepare the team for the next Premier League campaign.
Palace have been linked with Celtic midfielder Stuart Armstrong, with Palace director of football Dougie Freedman reportedly a huge fan of the player.
The attacking midfielder made 27 appearances for the Hoops last season, scoring 3 goals and providing 5 assists. Armstrong has enjoyed a successful three-and-a-half years with Celtic, scoring 28 goals from 144 appearances in all competitions.
The Scottish international isn’t exactly the definition of a proven midfielder, which makes it a huge gamble from the Eagles’ part. His adaptability to the heavy demands of the Premier League will be quite unpredictable as well. More often than not, the biggest of signings have failed to cater to the league’s needs.
Hence, it might be better for Hodgson to take a different route and sign a proven player, rather than take a risk with the Celtic midfielder.
Instead of pursuing Armstrong, Hodgson could attempt to push a deal for Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was on loan with the Eagles last season. The Chelsea loanee had a good season with Palace, scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists in 24 appearances.
The Palace midfield looked fresh and revitalized with Loftus-Cheek’s presence. He could make a similar impact at the club next season, without any worries as to how he would fit into the squad or perform for the club. However, Southampton are also said to be in pursuit of the player and Hodgson must move fast.
Nevertheless, Hodgson should probably make a hard pass on Armstrong and buy Loftus-Cheek instead. With the youngster selected for England’s World Cup squad, he just might unleash his potential this summer.
