Hodgson pleads with US owners for new players in the January window

Roy Hodgson

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has pleaded for reinforcements to boost his injury-ravaged side.

Palace battled to a 1-1 draw at home to rivals Brighton on Monday night despite having six first-team players out.

Third-choice left back Jairo Riedewald added to Hodgson’s woes by coming off at half-time with a hip strain.

Hodgson hopes Palace’s US owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer can dip into their pockets when the winter window opens next month to bolster his wafer-thin squad.

When asked if he needs to enter the transfer market, Hodgson said with a smile: “Is that a serious question or what? You know what we are with the transfer market, we don’t really go into the transfer market.

“But I’m trying to persuade the American owners in particular that this is something we really need to do. I thought we needed to do in the summer but we didn’t succeed in getting the necessary players that would improve our squad then.

“Nothing’s changed, it’s still the same positions I’m talking about. It’s still the same areas in our squad I’d like to see improved upon.

“Steve [Parish] and Doug Freedman are very much on board with that, so I’m just hoping that between us and the American owners we will find a way in releasing some money because I don’t think I will be able to bring in the quality of players that will be needed to improve our squad on free transfers or loans.”

Midfielders Andros Townsend and Jeffrey Schlupp, plus defenders Joel Ward, Patrick van Aanholt and Gary Cahill are currently sidelined. Centre half Mamadou Sakho is still serving a three-game suspension.