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What do Crystal Palace need in the summer transfer window?

Alan Pardew, Crystal Palace v Charlton Athletic, Capital One Cup, 23 September 2015

We take a look at the ways in which Crystal Palace need to strengthen in the summer transfer window.

What are the main areas in need of improvement? And what have they already done?

We examine the situation with the help of manager quotes and expert pundit views.

Ins

Andros Townsend (Newcastle United, £13m), Steve Mandanda (Marseille, free), James Tomkins (West Ham, £10m).

Major outs

Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United, £10m), Emmanuel Adebayor (released), Marouane Chamakh (released), Brede Hangeland (released), Adrian Mariappa (released).

What they need...

The Eagles have already brought in three new faces this summer, but they still need a striker. For all their creative talent in wide and midfield areas, they were held back badly last season by an inability to put the ball in the back of the net.

Connor Wickham improved as the season went on, but the fact that no Palace player scored more than five goals in the Premier League was a telling indictment of their problems. The need for reinforcements is even more pressing after their top scorer in all competitions, Dwight Gayle, was sold to Newcastle.

Also See:

Dwight Gayle unveiled as Newcastle United player
Image: Crystal Palace sold Dwight Gayle to Newcastle for £10m

Who are the targets?

Michy Batshuayi was a target before he joined Chelsea, while they've also looked at moves for Liverpool striker Christian Benteke and West Brom's Saido Berahino.

Benteke 'not close to exit'
Benteke 'not close to exit'

Christian Benteke's agent denies reports that the striker is close to leaving Liverpool.

Elsewhere, Alan Pardew has already strengthened in goal with Steve Mandanda and defence with James Tomkins, while another central midfielder would be useful to compete alongside Yohan Cabaye and James McArthur. 

James Tomkins Crystal Palace (mandatory credit - picture via Crystal Palace on Twitter - @CPFC)
Image: James Tomkins has joined Crystal Palace (picture via Crystal Palace on Twitter - @CPFC)

What the manager has said

"We have shown that we have got talent in the group. We need to refine it a little bit, and we are going to try to do that in the transfer market," Pardew said.

"I think we have got to get players who are better than this. There is no point in getting players who are not potentially better than the ones we have got. So will there be a big name in there? There's going to need to be."

 Alan Pardew Manager of Crystal Palace

Danny Higginbotham's view

"They went big and tried to sign Michy Batshuayi. That didn't work out but they've signed James Tomkins from West Ham and that for me is a very good signing. They've still got Yohan Cabaye, too, so so they've got very good players. 

"They don't look like they're going to lose any of the players that they want to keep, so I think it will just be a case of Alan Pardew looking at his team and thinking about where they need to freshen up. He's done it at centre-back and he might want to do it in the full-back areas.

"But I think one of the main things that has stood out is their centre-forward position. Looking at the players they do have and the way Crystal Palace play, they could look at a target man type because they've got lots of pace all around." 

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