Steve Parish still hasn’t decided on who he wants to manage Crystal Palace next season, though it’s entirely possible that Roy Hodgson could still be in the running if an outstanding candidate doesn’t emerge soon.
With the summer transfer window all but open for business, clearly, the quicker that clubs bed down their targets and aim to acquire them, the better for all concerned.
It allows the financial side to be budgeted for, and the playing side to be agreed upon well before pre-season, meaning that team and squad equilibrium should remain steady.
There can’t be anything worse for a football team than getting deadline day signings in that upset the apple cart and team dynamic that’s already been in place for weeks.
Perhaps that’s why the south Londoners are allegedly taking a look at Tottenham Hotspur front man, Lucas Moura.
The Brazilian is believed not to want to extend his contract at the club after it runs out at the end of June, meaning the £80,000 per week man (per Salary Sport) will be a free agent.
According to journalist, Rudy Galetti, Palace could swoop for his services.
“Crystal Palace are monitoring the situation of some free agents, including Lucas Moura,“ he told Give Me Sport.
“He is also strongly appreciated in Saudi Arabia. At the moment, there have been no concrete moves for him, but Palace remain interested in the former Tottenham player.
“However, their priority is to sign a replacement for Zaha, so the evaluations of Moura are going on a little bit in the background.”
Moura hasn’t been called into the first-team as much of late, and a move away makes sense. If he’s able to stay in London, then it means he doesn’t have to uproot his family which could be important for his own well being.