5 Crystal Palace Youngsters Who Impressed in the Eagles Pre-Season

​Crystal Palace enjoyed the relative luxury of mid-table comfort last season, with their Premier League safety pretty much secured with five matches still to play in 2018/19. 

Despite a 12th place finish and a 15 point cushion between the Eagles and the final relegation spot, there is some concern creeping in to Croydon this summer over a lack of signings. There is also real uncertainty surrounding the future of Wilfried Zaha, with the Ivorian winger reported to be unsettled at the club and pushing for a move. 

On top of that, just two new arrivals have bolstered Roy Hodgson's ranks so far, with Jordan Ayew making his loan move permanent and goalkeeper Stephen Henderson arriving from Nottingham Forest. 

With such an uninspiring list of new signings and transfer window edging towards its closure, there may well be some chances thrown to the club's youngsters this season, such as...


Jairo Riedewald

Harry Cardwelll,Jairo Riedewald

​A relic of Frank de Boer's short, ill-fated reign as Palace boss, Jairo Riedewald has endured a frustrating stint at Selhurst Park since his arrival in 2017. The Dutch youngster is a classy ball playing defender and a graduate of Ajax's famous academy, but has struggled to nail down a place for himself in Hodgson's first team, with a loan move to Celta Vigo collapsing during the January transfer window. 

In his four appearances in Palace's pre-season fixtures so far, he has looked full of energy and hunger as he looks to make a fresh start and impress his manager to earn a more regular starting berth in the first XI. He has slotted in to midfield at times during those friendly forays, and that versatility could be a real boost for Palace as they gear up for another tough campaign. 


David Boateng 

Dan Sparkes,David Boateng

David Boateng looks a real prospect for the Eagles. The Ghanaian youngster has been steadily rising up through the club's youth ranks, and will have supporters very excited about his future prospects after an impressive pre-season campaign. 

The 18-year-old is a real presence from his natural role in defensive midfield. His pace and energy allow him to break the lines and carry the ball out from deep with composure and confidence, and a well taken goal against Barnet and classy assist against AFC Wimbledon showcased his natural talent.


Brandon Pierrick​​

There is growing excitement in the ranks of Palace fans about their 17-year-old attacking midfielder Brandon Pierrick, a rising star of the club's youth teams who was promoted to the Under-23 setup last season. 

An excellent brace against AFC Wimbledon prompted plenty of praise for the teenager, who has displayed great athleticism and dazzling natural ability on the ball during his pre-season antics. 


                        Sam Woods

Sam Woods,Bradley Ash

For lifelong Palace fan Sam Woods, the prospect of making it as a regular for his boyhood club is tantalisingly close. The 20-year-old central defender has been a hot prospect at Selhurst Park for some time now, rising through the club's youth team ranks. 


The former Under-16s captain has impressed with calm, measured performances in pre-season so far, with regular minutes during the club's Swiss training tour and subsequent friendlies around London. 


He made his senior bow for the first team last season, coming off the bench in the club's Carabao Cup defeat to Middlesbrough, as well as featuring in the matchday squads during the earlier rounds against Swansea City and West Brom. Expect to see a bit more of him in and around the first team this term. 


Luke Dreher

Luke Dreher,Egli Kaja

Luke Dreher has been another name talked about with great excitement in recent years by Palace supporters. The 20-year-old is a product of the south London club's academy and has earned high praise from Palace legend Richard Shaw for his all-action style and creative talent. 


The midfielder was included in Hodgson's squad for the early summer tour in Switzerland and caught the eye with lively contributions against Luzern and Young Boys, as well as in the lively fixture with AFC Wimbledon. He made his senior bow as a stoppage time substitute against Bournemouth on the final day of last season and is widely expected to feature in the coming campaign.



Source : 90min