Crystal Palace now step up interest in player Dougie Freedman watched this season, January move possible

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Crystal Palace’s 2024/25 campaign started as bad as even the harshest Oliver Glasner could have predicted.

Eight winless games started the season for the Eagles, leaving relegation looking like it could be a serious concern.

Crystal Palace were on track for one of the lowest points tallies in history but that all changed on Sunday when Oliver Glasner masterminded a 1-0 win against Tottenham.

Prior to this game, there was sacking talk around the manager, but after the win, Glasner was confident that he would remain in charge.

However, this will hopefully be just the start for Crystal Palace in the revival of this season – and January could be a huge opportunity to bolster the ranks.

• READ MORE: Meet Oliver Glasner, the Europa League expert turned Crystal Palace manager

Crystal Palace step-up Romain Esse interest

In a bid to strengthen in January one player that the Eagles seem to be linked with more and more is Millwall’s Romain Esse.

It was reported in September that Crystal Palace would make a move to sign Esse if they got the green light.

Following this, it was reported that Dougie Freedman had actually scouted Esse already – although the Eagles were not completely convinced that he was of a Premier League quality just yet.

However, it has now been reported by Alan Nixon on his Patreon that the Eagles are stepping up their interest in Esse ahead of the January window.

It is explained that after struggling at the start of this season, Crystal Palace will spend in January to rectify this.

The club are expected to target players who can improve, instead of the finished article and Esse certainly fits that bill.

• READ MORE: Crystal Palace key dates for the 2024/25 season: Transfer window, Premier League fixture release, start date and more

Where does Esse fit in under Oliver Glasner?

The 19-year-old winger would be a deal completed in the mould of so many that Dougie Freedman has done over the years such as Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise – a Championship player with tremendous potential.

This season, Esse has been an ever-present for Millwall, already making this campaign his best with four-goal contributions so far in the Championship and one in the Carabao Cup.

• Championship – 12 games, 3 goals, 1 assist
• Carabao Cup – 2 games, 1 goal, 0 assists

If signed in January, Esse would be unlikely to take a starting position instantly – instead, he likely would be integrated slowly with cameos in the position Ismaila Sarr started in against Tottenham.

Alternatively, it could be that Crystal Palace sign him before loaning him back to Millwall until July where he can develop as a first-team regular for another six months.