Crystal Palace are preparing to hand a Premier League debut to Tyrick Mitchell with The Sun (7 June, page 61) reporting that the young left-back has been training alongside Roy Hodgson’s first-team squad of late.
The full-back positions have been the subject of plenty of hand-wringing at Selhurst Park in recent times.
Try as they might, the Londoners failed to replace academy graduate Aaron Wan-Bissaka once he sealed that mega-money move to Manchester United a year ago.
West Bromwich Albion’s Nathan Ferguson looked set to sign in January, only for the deal to fall through at the eleventh hour due to a foot problem discovered during his medical.
On the opposite flank, there are problems too.
Dutch international Patrick Van Aanholt is the only senior left-back at Hodgson’s disposal. And it just so happens that he is set to become a free-agent next summer.
The Sun points out that Crystal Palace were planning a summer move for Norwich City’s £20 million-rated flyer Jamal Lewis. But with funds tight all over Europe, Mitchell could perhaps be set to benefit from a period of unprecedented financial uncertainty.
A 20-year-old who joined the Eagles from Brentford in 2016, Mitchell is yet to make his first-team bow despite being included in the matchday squad against bitter rivals Brighton in December.
That could soon change, however, with The Sun pointing out that a senior debut could be heading his way sooner rather than later.
And should Mitchell impress, he could save Crystal Palace millions in the transfer market.
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