Crystal Palace in pole position to sign Premier League midfielder on a free transfer

Posted by

It isn’t clear at this stage whether Crystal Palace will keep Roy Hodgson on as manager of the first team or decide to plump for someone younger.

Despite his advancing years, former England manager, Hodgson, showed he could get a decent tune out of a group of players for whom Patrick Vieira struggled to motivate.

Should Steve Parish decide to go with a new man, and Graham Potter is being heavily linked with the position by The Independent and many other outlets, he’ll need to hit the ground running and ensure that what is, on paper, a talented group of players, fulfil their obvious potential.

One player that could be added to the south Londoner’s ranks regardless of who takes the reins is Jefferson Lerma.

The midfielder is available on a free transfer as his contract with Bournemouth finishes at the end of June, and reliable journalist, Fabrizio Romano, notes that final details are being discussed between the player and Palace with a successful outcome expected soon.

According to WhoScored, Lerma provided an impressive five goals from his defensive midfield position, and his passing accuracy of over 80 percent puts him in the top bracket.

It’s a studious buy for an energetic and commanding midfielder who, at 28 years of age, is theoretically in his footballing prime.

With Potter renowned for his tactical nous whilst at Brighton and Hove Albion, Lerma’s addition to an already brilliant footballing squad could really see Palace go places in 2023/24.

More Stories Jefferson Lerma Roy Hodgson Steve Parish