After an up and down last season, Crystal Palace fans will be hoping for a much better next season from their beloved club. Alan Pardew has not particularly stormed the transfer market but has done decent business this summer bringing in quality players like Andros Townsend, Steve Mandanda and James Tomkins. There is still a long time before the window slams shut and the Eagles are expected to make a few signings before that.
The area that is craving the most for reinforcements at Selhurst Park is the attack and Connor Wickham is the only accomplished forward at the club right now. Strikers Kwesi Appiah and Fraizer Campbell are on the fringes of the squad and are far from the Premier League quality.
While we expect Crystal Palace to be linked with strikers, the Eagles getting linked with a defensive midfielder is a major surprise. According to reports from Foot Mercato, Crystal Palace are interested in making a surprise swoop for Norwich City midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu. The DR Congo international made his switch to Norwich City from West Brom last summer and had his struggles to fit into Alex Neil’s plans.
Mulumbu could make only nine first-team appearances for the Canaries last season playing just 509 minutes and Neil is ready to let the 29-year-old leave on a free transfer now as the Canaries struggle with their massive wage bill having being demoted to the Championship. However, Crystal Palace should avoid any deal for the Norwich midfielder as that will be a signing for just the sake of signing!
The South Londoners have a crowded midfield department right now with players like Yohan Cabaye, James McArthur, Mile Jedinak, Joe Ledley, Jonathan Williams and Jordan Mutch. Adding another mediocre player like Mulumbu does not make any sense as the French-born Congo international hardly seems superior to the players Palace have at their disposal.
Mulumbu is not an upgrade over Jedinak or McArthur who are the Crystal Palace defensive midfielders right now. The Congolese is neither a young player anymore who would be a long-term project at the club. He had a tough time breaking into the first team at a club who were relegated last campaign. So, even if he is available for free, there’s no need for Crystal Palace to move for an average player like the 29-year-old.
