Will Crystal Palace make another signing? It sure looks like they are hoping.
Oliver Glasner says Crystal Palace will make at least one new signing, and possibly two, in the final three days of the transfer window.
Earlier this month, the Eagles boss revealed he had been given assurances that the club would bring in two players in January.
Attacker Romain Esse has already been signed from Millwall for £12million plus £2.5m in add-ons, and Palace are continuing to work on a second target, believed to be a left wing-back.
But a season-ending knee injury to Chadi Riad and Chelsea’s decision to recall Trevoh Chalobah early from his loan spell has left Palace with just three recognised senior centre-backs in their squad. The club are therefore now attempting to sign a central defender, too.
“We planned two signings,” Glasner said on Friday, ahead of a weekend trip to Manchester United in the Premier League. “We have one, with Romain Esse, and we are still working on the second one. Monday the window closes, and I am pretty confident that we will get this deal done.
“It started this week that we said we have to look [in defence] because in the centre we have five positions and we have just three [players] at the moment.
“We said we will look for a centre-back. But we will just do something that makes sense for us.”
The Austrian added: “It’s not that we need it immediately, because Adam [Wharton] coming back means Jeff Lerma can play with Nathaniel Clyne, who did excellently at the end of last season. We have several options in the team.
“But we are looking. If there is a good opportunity, we will try to do it. If not, we trust in all our players like we always do. Let’s say ideally two signings, but at least one.”