Why Kyle Walker-Peters could be a real coup for Crystal Palace

According to the London Evening Standard, Cyrstal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed that talks are ongoing with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur over a potential deal for right-back Kyle Walker-Peters before the January transfer deadline. 

The Tottenham academy graduate is willing to seek greener pastures to kickstart his career after slipping down the pecking order at his boyhood club and the Eagles have maintained a long-standing interest in the 22-year-old since the summer. (h/t Evening Standard)

As per the report, Palace have opened talks over an initial six-month loan deal for Walker-Peters but it is understood that Spurs would be willing to offload him on a permanent basis if the right terms can be agreed. 

Walker-Peters, who made his Premier League debut for Spurs against Newcastle United back in the 2017-18 campaign, has clocked up a meagre 24 first-team appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions so far. 

The highly-rated academy graduate initially found his route to the playing XI blocked by Kieran Trippier but he has failed to capitalize since the England stalwart’s departure to Atletico Madrid. 

Walker-Peters had fallen out of favour under former manager Mauricio Pochettino and he has made only one appearance since Jose Mourinho took over the reins in North London. 

The 22-year-old still has a contract at Tottenham until 2023 but with Mourinho unwilling to show any trust in his abilities, the right-back desperately needs to complete a move elsewhere to establish himself in the Premier League. 

Having conceded only 23 times so far in the Premier League, the Eagles’ water-tight backline has been instrumental in their march up to 9th in the standings but they will surely need to find an answer to their woes at the other end of the pitch, where goals have been really hard to come by. 

Ideally, Palace don’t need to be looking at defensive additions in January but the right-back department is certainly an area where some investment is needed. 

With Wan-Bissaka no longer in the scene and utility man Joel Ward suffering a long-term injury earlier in the campaign following an impressive start, the Eagles have been forced to rely on Martin Kelly to fill the void at right-back. 

Kelly has done his reputation no harm but it is a no-brainer that Palace need some specialist cover at the right-back moving forward. Offering an escape route to a top-quality talent like Kyle Walker-Peters could solve a nagging issue for Hodgson. 

Verdict

James Tomkins, Mamadou Sakho, Gary Cahill, Joel Ward and Scott Dann- Palace already have an aging backline with plenty of players 30 or above, meaning that a deal for Walker-Peters could be a good way to freshen up things with some much-needed young blood. 

The 22-year-old has struggled to make his presence felt at Spurs but there have been obvious signs to suggest that he has got the potential to make a name for himself in English football. 

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Having said that, Crystal Palace completing a raid on their London rivals for Kyle Walker-Peters could be a shrewd piece of business and one that might pay off handsomely for their long-term plans moving forward under Roy Hodgson.