Crystal Palace have earmarked the two-time Premier League winner as a potential target.
A report in the Daily Mirror has claimed that Crystal Palace are considering a potential move for Chelsea full-back Branislav Ivanovic as Alan Pardew seemingly looks to bolster his defensive options.
The Eagles, who currently sit 13th in the Premier League table, are the highest scoring team outside of the top eight in the division.
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew
The reason that they are not higher up the table is their apparent inability to keep the goals out this season. Only the bottom four sides in the league, as well as Stoke City, have conceded more times than Palace this term, and it appears that Pardew is weighing up whether the 32-year-old could be the answer.
The Mirror reports that the Serbia international is out of contract at the end of the season at Stamford Bridge, and with his most recent start for the Blues coming in their heavy defeat to Arsenal in September, it would perhaps be fair to say that Antonio Conte would be open to the idea of letting him go if Crystal Palace made a suitable bid.
Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic in action with Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi
However, Palace could face competition as the Mirror adds that Ivanovic is still attracting plenty of attention from teams in the Premier League.
If they do decide to make a move, and are able to land him, the defender would surely be a smart acquisition as the Eagles look to move themselves up the table.
Ivanovic’s versatility would mean that he would add depth right across the back four, and he brings a huge amount of experience when it comes to achieving success, having won every available major honour during his time with Chelsea.
Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic in action with Tottenham’s Erik Lamela
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