Crystal Palace are on the lookout for replacements to fill the Michael Olise-shaped hole in their squad and are targeting Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham in addition to Norweigan talent Antonio Nusa, who is currently at Belgian side Club Brugge. 

Crystal Palace to Continue Recent Investment as New Era Begins

The Eagles’ hierarchy has invested heavily during Patrick Vieria and Roy Hodgson’s reigns, splashing out on the likes of Cheick Doucoure, Dean Henderson and Adam Wharton in recent seasons.

Despite struggling at times during Premier League campaigns and flirting with relegation battles, Crystal Palace have established themselves as a mid-table side too good to drop into the second tier.

The appointment of Oliver Glasner in February has reignited hopes that the club can push on and 24 points from 13 matches was an excellent return with wins over Liverpool and Manchester United highlights of his short reign to date.

The departure of Olise takes arguably the most talented player outside of the league’s top sides out of a squad that looks relatively light in wide areas.

Glasner’s flexible 3-4-3 formation requires two attacking midfield players behind a lone striker and much of their attacking threat comes from the two roaming playmakers who have the freedom to drift wide to link up with overlapping wing-backs.

Attacker Jean-Philippe Mateta in particular benefited from the creativity of the duo and that of Jordan Ayew, netting a career-best 16 league goals.

Bellingham Ideal Candidate to Replace Olise

The 18-year-old only joined the Black Cats from Birmingham City last summer but has established himself as one of the greatest talents in the country.

He made 45 appearances in the Championship, scoring seven times. Sunderland finished in 16th, six points from the relegation zone. Among Bellingham’s seven goals, he bagged a brace in a 2-1 win over Rotherham and netted the winner at home to Leeds before Christmas.

According to Fabrizio Romano, there are many clubs interested in Bellingham but the player will have options this summer with many clubs interested in his signature.

He is perfectly suited to Glasner’s style of play and the role just off the main striker. He can also play further back as a number eight, offering versatility to the former Frankfurt and Wolfsburg manager.

Nusa is a promising 19-year-old making a name for himself in the Belgian top-flight with Club Brugge, scoring three goals and adding another three assists in 2023/24.

The left winger’s season was disrupted by niggling injuries but his ability on the ball and tendency to track back into defensive areas highlights a trend for the type of player Glasner is targeting this summer.

Sunderland’s number seven has gained significant attention due to the exploits of his brother, Jude Bellingham, currently the standout player in La Liga at Real Madrid but he is starting to carve out a career of his own since becoming a regular from the bench at Birmingham last season.

Bellingham ranks in the top ten of all Championship players under the age of 21 with more than 10 apperances for shots per game and key passes outlining his threat in forward areas but it is his work-rate and defensive contributions that are often overlooked and he has the right mentality to be a success in the Premier League.

There is a lot of raw talent here and his next move will be key to him fulfilling his potential. Regular gametime at Selhurst Park would be a positive step in his development.