In the last 11 games of the season, Crystal Palace were showing Champions League form.
With 6 wins, 3 draws and a defeat, only Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea outperformed the South-London side. Their 1.9 points per game average would be the equivalent of 72 points over a 38 game season.
Their end of season came after the recruitment of former Eintracht Frankfurt Oliver Glasner, and reminded me of Aston Villa’s run towards the back end of 2022/23. It has got their fans dreaming of a run at European football next season. But to do that, they need to keep the big clubs away from their stars – namely Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton.
All 3 starred for Palace as they went from relegation battlers to mid-table mediocrity. This summer all three will be linked with every top club in England, including Arsenal. But who should we be looking to raid Palace for?
Eberechi Eze
Following his return from injury and good form towards the end of the season, Eberechi Eze has forced his way into England reckoning and was selected for Gareth Southgate’s 33 man provisional squad ahead of Euro 2024.
Eze has hit double figures in the last two seasons for Palace. He is an elegant attacking midfielder who is comfortable left, right and central. His best performances have come when he has played more centrally.
It is this versatility that will peak Mikel Arteta’s interest – we know Super Mik loves a player that is comfortable anywhere on the pitch.
Eze would also provide Arteta with a different option in those attacking midfield positions – the Englishman is more of a runner with the ball, looking to break the lines, than a passer. Although this could also have a downside as we know Arteta favours structured buildup rather than individual showmanship.
Another thing in the negative column is Eze’s age.
For me, Eze sits in that box of players who are “older than you would think”. He turns 26 towards the end of the month. Most reading this would probably have guessed him to be around 22 or 23.
Eze is actually a former Arsenal youth player – he joined the club at 8-years-old before being released at 13. He then went through Fulham, Reading and Millwall’s academy. After failing to be offered a professional deal by Millwall, he considered giving up on his dreams as a professional footballer before Queens Park Rangers offered him a trial. After impressing, he joined QPR on a full time deal.
In 2020, Crystal Palace paid £17m to secure his signature.
Eze’s career has certainly been one of a slow burner, and that again counts against him.
It took him two seasons to get going with QPR, and the same again with Crystal Palace. Arsenal will be yet another step up and, if he takes two years to reach the next level, he will be 28.
Personally, I would pass up on Eze.
Michael Olise
Last summer Michael Olise was near to the top of my wish list.
“The Crystal Palace player has the potential to be a special player. Just 21-years-old, he glides past players for fun and has a wand of a left foot” is how I described the winger when discussing players who could be signed to be cover for Bukayo Saka.
A year on, Olise has jumped up a level and could probably consider himself unlucky to not have made the France squad.
As a left footed right winger, he also faces huge competition were he to change his allegiance to England – in Saka, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Jarrod Bowen, England are stacked for this sort of player. But that does not mean he is not a talent.
Injuries hampered last season, but Olise still scored 10 goals in 19 games. He would still be top of my list if we were looking to get someone in to cover Saka.
The issue arsenal face is competition.
Now 22, Olise fits nicely into that bracket of player that could hit the ground running in the Premier League, but also has the potential to get even better (whereas I do not think Eze will improve much more). That means there will be interest from every top club in England.
Olise could join the likes of Arsenal or Manchester City as a squad player. The alternative is to go a lesser team like Tottenham, Chelsea or Manchester United. I can also see him joining Liverpool to replace Mo Salah.
I would expect Olise to move this summer for a fee above £60m. That is the sort of money you pay for a starter, not a back up dancer.
For now, Olise will probably join a team that he can start week in, week out for, even if that means he will play at a level lower than title challenger. But if he joins the right project, he has the talent to turn that team into a title challenger.
I would love Olise, I just do not think he would be interested in being 2nd choice to Saka.
Adam Wharton
I had heard little bits and pieces of Adam Wharton in the first half of last season, but do not recall having seen him play.
Crystal Palace took the plunge in January, signing the then 19-year-old for £18m. The transfer led to many Palace fans to question what their management was doing.
6-months on and Wharton is now one of the best young midfielders in Europe and led him to winning his first England cap. His performances could lead him to having a short stay in Croydon.
Elegant on the ball with fabulous defensive awareness, Wharton has looked at home in the Premier League and for England. He looks to have it all – vision, ball carrying, work rate, defensive aggression and IQ.
Considering the lack of decent defensive midfield options Southgate has, Wharton will probably establish himself as Declan Rice’s cover for a long time. It is this position that Arsenal could look to recruit him for.
With Jorginho signing on for another year, Arteta could take the risk by going for someone a bit less proven to replace Thomas Partey. Wharton would certainly be someone we are watching.
I think Martin Zubimendi is top of our list for that position, and at 25, the Spaniard is more proven. The Sociedad midfielder would also cost a similar amount to Wharton.
So for the same money, you either get someone who is 25 and established, or a 20-year-old who is rawer, but could have a higher ceiling.
I would also not be surprised if Manchester City come in and blow everyone out of the water for Wharton. Like Arsenal looking for cover for Rice, they need someone to cover Rodri.
There will be a huge transfer battle for Adam Wharton. The only question will be wether he wants to stay at Crystal Palace for at least one full season, playing first team football, or whether he wants to risk it all to sit on the bench at a title challenger.
The football fan in me hopes he stays at Palace and continues to progress. The realist in me knows Man City will double his wage and he could become the next Jack Rodwell.
What Wharton, Olise and Eze show is that you can find talent in the Championship.
However, clubs like arsenal can not afford to shop in this market – for everyone that steps up to the Premier League and stars, another 10 fail to progress and end up as journeymen.
We are better off taking the position that we will let the likes of Palace and Brighton sign loads of players from lower divisions and fringe leagues, and then we will sweep in and poach those that make it.
I would still love Olise as cover for Saka, but think he will take a move to someone that guarantees first team football. Wharton meanwhile would be class cover for Rice that we can continue to develop.
Eze’s age goes against him. I would not be surprised if he ends up at someone like Newcastle.
Which of 3 Palace stars would you most like to see us sign? Leave your views in the comments.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 