Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce is reportedly keen to sign West Ham defender James Collins.
According to the Daily Mail, Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce is interested in raiding former club West Ham United for centre back James Collins.
Allardyce was appointed as Palace’s new manager last month following the departure of Alan Pardew, and he’s endured a difficult start to life at Selhurst Park.
After a 1-1 draw at Watford, Palace were then beaten 2-0 at Arsenal, and surprisingly lost 2-1 at home to Swansea City on Tuesday evening to leave the Eagles just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce
Allardyce will be looking for January reinforcements, and he has been known for defensive solidity in recent years, meaning a new defender could be on his wishlist for this month’s transfer window.
Now, the Daily Mail report that the Palace boss is keen to raid former club West Ham United to sign centre back James Collins, having worked with the Welshman in East London.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic talks with James Collins
Collins, 33, was signed by Allardyce in 2012 as he returned to Upton Park for a second spell, having left for Aston Villa in 2009.
Collins – who played for Wales at Euro 2016 last summer – has played just nine times in the Premier League this season, with Slaven Bilic preferring to go with Cheikhou Kouyate, Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna as his three-man defence.
With just four appearances since the end of September, Collins has become a bit-part player at the London Stadium, and Allardyce is believed to be keen on a reunion at Selhurst Park.
The player himself may fancy working with his former boss again, whilst the move would not only enable him to stay in London, but also give him a greater chance of first-team football, whilst West Ham may look to cash in given Collins’ age.
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