Exclusive: Steve Parish could sack Roy Hodgson now and appoint 44-year-old Welshman as Crystal Palace manager

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• EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey

Crystal Palace could sack Roy Hodgson as the manager and bring in former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper, HITC understands.

Sources have told us that Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish is looking to make a change now and is on the hunt for a potential replacement for Roy Hodgson.

Crystal Palace in relegation danger

Palace have struggled all season and are in danger of getting relegated to the Championship.

The Eagles are only five points above the bottom three. Palace, who had the chance to sign Hugo Ekitike in the January transfer window, have lost three of their last five Premier League games.

Palace’s latest defeat came this past Saturday when they went down 4-1 to Brighton and Hove Albion away from home in the Premier League.

Steve Cooper could replace Roy Hodgson

HITC understand that Crystal Palace chairman Steve Cooper is now looking to make a managerial change in the hope that the team gets better.

Sources have told us that Steve Cooper is the firm favourite to become the new Palace manager.

The 44-year-old Welshman is without a managerial job at the moment. Cooper was sacked as the Nottingham Forest boss in December after a poor run of results. 

Forest, who, like Palace, are in danger of getting relegated from the Premier League, appointed former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno as their new manager.

Although Parish is keen on Cooper, the Palace chairman is looking at other candidates as well.

HITC understands that Palace, who signed Adam Wharton in the January transfer window, have an interest in Julen Lopetegui as well. The former Real Madrid manager is ready to return to management after leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2023 and is open to managing in England again.

Parish has been impressed by Kieran McKenna and Michael Carrick as well. Both are very young managers and are doing extremely well in the Championship.

McKenna, 37, is in charge of Ipswich Town at the moment. The Tractor Boys are fourth in the Championship table and are only two points off the final automatic promotion spot.

Former Manchester United midfielder Carrick, 42, is managing Middlesbrough now. Boro are 12th in the Championship table and are only four points off the playoffs.