Crystal Palace plan to sign ‘the best Championship talent’ – Insider
Crystal Palace plan to sign the best talents from the Championship and help to develop them into superstars at Selhurst Park.
This is according to former Man United, West Ham and Aston Villa scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, exclusively told Football Insider that the Eagles’ recruitment plans hinge on developing young stars.
Palace have a proven track record at recruiting from the lower divisions, while director of football Dougie Freedman has a strong reputation for spotting talent.
The likes of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton have all been bought from the Championship and gone on to become key players in South London.
Olise in particular is an example of Palace’s plan, having honed his skills with the club before securing a £50million move to German giants Bayern Munich.
Eze and Wharton, meanwhile, have earned multiple senior England caps, while Marc Guehi was identified based on his performances for Swansea despite being signed from Chelsea.
This comes shortly after Football Insider revealed that Palace scouts have been in attendance to watch Sunderland’s 17-year-old sensation Chris Rigg this season.
Crystal Palace target Championship talents as transfer plan revealed
It is a model which has proved productive for Palace both on the pitch and financially, while showing players they can earn international recognition and big-money move.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment at all levels and worked with Palace’s former boss Roy Hodgson at Blackburn, insisted that this is the best plan for the level of the club and their financial situation.
“Crystal Palace are looking to sign the best talent from the Championship,” he told Football Insider.
“They know they can’t deal in the top market and with mega money.
“They’re not going to go and spend £40-50million on a new star player. They have to cut their cloth accordingly.
“So they have to be smart with their recruitment and bring players in from the lower divisions.
“If they go and get the top young talents from the Championship, they can develop them into these superstar players who would cost upwards of £50million if they were ready-made.
“We’ve seen them do it in the past with the likes of Eze and Wharton, and it’s something I know the club are intent on getting right.
“There is an element of risk to that, you’re trusting your judgement that they’ll develop how you expect.
“It’s a big ask for a young player to step up into the Premier League, but it’s something Palace have done well in the past.
“They’re over the moon about Adam Wharton, for example. That’s the type of signing they want to make more of, if they can.”
In other news, Crystal Palace’s stance on sacking Oliver Glasner has been revealed.
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