Crystal Palace January transfer dossier: Keeping Wilfried Zaha must be accompanied by big signings

Crystal Palace's start to the season was even more disappointing than their summer transfer activity but it looks as if Roy Hodgson might have arrived in time to save their season.

Former manager Frank de Boer only managed to bring in Mamadou Sakho from Liverpool on deadline day after long weeks of unsuccessful negotiations. Jairo Riedewald also moved to Selhurst Park from Ajax while Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Timothy Fosu-Mensah were brought in on respective loans deals from Chelsea and Manchester United.

Palace sacked De Boer after only four games and the Eagles became the first team in 129 years of the Football League to lose their first seven matches without scoring a goal.

Hodgson, however, managed to turn around the situation in the following weeks to make fans believe that avoiding the relegation is more than possible, with Palace currently sat 17th in the Premier League table.

What they need

Making some new additions seems as necessary as keeping Wilfried Zaha out of the clutches of top clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Keeping hold of Loftus-Cheek will also be important amid suggestions parent club Chelsea could recall him ahead of the second half of the season.

Palace failed to replace Steve Mandanda in the summer and signing a new goalkeeper to provide competition for Wayne Hennessey and Julian Speroni also remains a priority for Hodgson.

The former England manager would also be keen on adding some more firepower with the Eagles scoring just 18 goals in 21 games, with Christian Benteke having only found the net once in the process.

Elsewhere, the Palace boss would also surely welcome some reinforcements in defence and midfield.

Who could join?

Former Real Madrid 'keeper Diego Lopez has been linked with a move to Selhurst Park in recent weeks having barely played for Espanyol during the opening part of the season.

The Sun recently reported that Hodgson is also keen on signing former Arsenal striker Benik Afobe from Bournemouth in a deal worth around £15m.

Liverpool forward Danny Ings has also been touted as a candidate to bolster the Palace attack while the links with centre-back Lamine Kone also persist amid suggestions that Sunderland are ready to part ways with him in January on the cheap.

Elsewhere, in November The Telegraph reported that Hodgson also wanted to sign Jack Wilshere but it looks unlikely that Arsenal will let him go mid-season.

Who could leave

Zaha has been key during Palace's resurgence and Hodgson recently suggested that he is braced for interest in the former Manchester United winger once the transfer window reopens.

Arsene Wenger has admitted he is interested in the 25-year-old forward with Arsenal on the hunt for a replacement for contract rebel Alexis Sanchez.

Meanwhile, the Mirror recently said that Manchester City and Chelsea are also ready to join the chase for the player said to be valued at around £40m.

Sam Allardyce is said to be keen on a reunion with Benteke at Everton while reports in France have also linked Pape Souaré with a move to Marseille.

What the manager has said:

"The more money they can give me to spend the happier I shall be because you would hope the more money you have the better the quality the player you'll have. But that's not an exact science," Hodgson recently said.

"If ever you want a science where risk is at the highest possible level it's spending money on transfers to buy football players and pay them wages and hoping that you're going to see scientifically that you got value for your money."