Crystal Palace could be surprise contenders for Europe... the imminent arrival of Yohan Cabaye is beginning of an exciting period

  • Crystal Palace agree £10m fee rising to £12.8m with PSG for Yohan Cabaye
  • The imminent arrival suggests Palace could enter another exciting period
  • Alan Pardew raised eyebrows when he left Newcastle for south London
  • Eagles boss has impressed in SE25 and the club could push for Europe

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew raised a few eyebrows and a few giggles in March when he proclaimed: 'We are getting calls regarding players from Inter Milan and Benfica because they are our market now.'

He'll have to be taken seriously now. The imminent arrival of French international Yohan Cabaye in a £12.8million deal from Paris Saint-Germain suggests Palace may be ready to enter the club's most exciting period since they were hyped the Team of the Eighties.

Here are six reasons Palace are in the mood to improve on their 10th place finish in May and even be surprise contenders for Europe.

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew raised a few eyebrows when he left Newcastle for the south London club

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew raised a few eyebrows when he left Newcastle for the south London club

Pardew worked wonders at Selhurst Park last season and ensured they finished 10th in the Premier League 

Pardew worked wonders at Selhurst Park last season and ensured they finished 10th in the Premier League 

 

1: MONEY AT THE TOP

Alan Pardew was questioned why he left Newcastle United last season to join Palace, who were lower in the table at the time. But he knew if he could secure Premier League safety, there was ambition in south London to push further.

Palace have survived the difficult first two seasons in the Premier League and reaped the financial rewards with a massive TV deal due to start next season. Chairman Steve Parish has been in talks with American NBA owner Josh Harris, a potential source of even greater financial power.

Once on the look-out for cut-price bargains, Palace are now linked with Italian international striker Eder and Spurs centre-forward Emmanuel Adebayor. The deal to bring in Cabaye from one of Europe's biggest clubs to work again with his former Newcastle United manager is just the start.

The imminent arrival of  Yohan Cabaye in a £10m deal from Paris Saint-Germain is an exciting one for the club

The imminent arrival of Yohan Cabaye in a £10m deal from Paris Saint-Germain is an exciting one for the club

2: THE CABAYE, ZAHA AND BOLASIE TRIANGLE

Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie have speed and trickery on the flanks that few Premier League clubs can match. The one thing they could benefit from is a player in the centre of midfield who can control possession and give them the ball at the right times. Cabaye is perfect for the role.

Bolasie and Zaha though are integral to the attacking and adventurous way Pardew wants to play next season. And remember he also has Jason Puncheon and January signings Jordon Mutch and Lee Chung-yong Lee at his disposal. If he's successful, expect him to become a leading candidate for the role of England manager. 

Yannick Bolasie (left) has the speed and trickery on the flanks that few Premier League clubs can match

Yannick Bolasie (left) has the speed and trickery on the flanks that few Premier League clubs can match

3: THE SELHURST ROAR, MANCHESTER UNITED OF THE SOUTH

Don't laugh. While Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham compete for fans north of the River Thames, Palace have virtually the whole of south London to pick up support from. It is just they have never been able to utilise that potential until now.

Their average home gate is already 25,000 and generally regarded as creating the best atmosphere in the Premier League. Parish knows the passionate support generated by the Selhurst Roar is a huge advantage and he has been looking at options for a bigger stadium to fit more fans in.

Entrepreneurs like Simon Jordan and Mark Goldberg have spotted Palace's geographical potential before but were unable to get a team on the pitch to match it. The current Palace squad looks strong enough to do that and earn comparisons with Terry Venables's side of the late 70s and the Steve Coppell team that reached the FA Cup final in 1990 and finished third in 1991.

Their average home gate is already 25,000 and is regarded as creating the best atmosphere in the league

Their average home gate is already 25,000 and is regarded as creating the best atmosphere in the league

4: SOUTH LONDON STREET FOOTBALLERS

Palace are probably able to pick up more talented youngsters than any club in the country due to their location and the ethnic mix in south London.

Players like Zaha feel comfortable in a Palace shirt because they've been with them all their lives. Away from Selhurst Park, he was only half the player at Manchester United. Zaha isn't the only one, midfielder Jonny Williams is another product of the youth academy and played for Wales.

In the past, youngsters like Nathaniel Clyne have had to move on to further their careers but if Palace can stay in the top half of the Premier League, more of the homegrown youngsters will stay. And Pardew himself is wrapped up in the club's tradition, scoring the winner in the 1990 FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

Players like Wilfried Zaha feel comfortable in a Palace shirt because they've been with them all their lives

Players like Wilfried Zaha feel comfortable in a Palace shirt because they've been with them all their lives

5: AMBITIOUS ALAN PARDEW

He has so much experience in the game but at 53 years old, is still full of energy and will be able to handle Parish and the boardroom better than Pulis was able to.

Pardew's close relationship with his players has already borne fruit with Cabaye keen to play with him again. After being restricted at Newcastle by Mike Ashley, he is happy to promote Palace as a big club, hence the comment about competing with Inter Milan for players after the 2-1 win at Stoke City on March 22 effectively secured their Premier League status.

Pardew has in his own mind a vision for an open and attacking Palace team that will win friends as well as picking up points. His next key signing will be a centre-forward. He has looked far and wide for the right man - Dame N'Doye, Adebayor, Eder and others have all been looked at. The man has a plan.

The Eagles' co-chairman Steve Parish (right) helped guide Palace from brink of administration to the top-flight

The Eagles' co-chairman Steve Parish (right) helped guide Palace from brink of administration to the top-flight

6: STABILITY

Palace have gone through administration in their recent history and nearly dropped into the third tier as the manager's office and players' lounge became a revolving door.

Now that Parish has got a manager he likes and gets on with – Pardew socialised with him even when he was at Newcastle – they will keep a core of the side to go with the exciting new signings like Cabaye.

Veteran defender Damien Delaney, a key influence in the dressing-room, has signed a new contract. So has midfielder James McArthur. Goalkeeper Julian Speroni has been with the club 11 years. Former Palace captain Gareth Southgate called the club's training ground 'a bearpit', meaning it was loud, challenging and competitive. Pardew will want to keep that and add quality to it.  

Players including Liverpool new boy Nathaniel Clyne have come through the ranks at Selhurst Park
Midfielder Jonny Williams is another product of the youth academy and played for Wales

Players including Liverpool new boy Nathaniel Clyne (left) and Jonny Williams have come through the ranks

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