It looks as though Crystal Palace are set for a busy summer, but how much can the club afford to spend amid links to high-profile targets?
After a strong conclusion to the 2023/24 Premier League season, expectations are high ahead of next season, with Oliver Glasner set for his first full season in charge.
For Crystal Palace, the prospect of breaking into the fight for Europe is real, and smart recruitment this summer will be key in doing so.
As the transfer window draws closer, the Eagles are being linked with a move to sign Jobe Bellingham who could cost as much as £20m, with Chadi Riad also set to arrive for £14m.
Last season between the summer and winter windows, Palace spent roughly £57m, a figure which brought Adam Wharton and Dean Henderson to the club to name a few. But how much will the club be able to spend this coming season?
READ MORE: How much Crystal Palace paid to sign every 2023/24 first-team squad player in the transfer market
What Crystal Palace’s transfer budget will be this summer
Crystal Palace outspent any Premier League side in January with both Wharton and Daniel Munoz arriving for a combined £24.8m.
As we near the transfer window this summer, there are multiple targets for Glasner’s side to target, while outgoings will also have a huge say in what is possible.
TBR Football Finance Expert Adam Williams has been talking with We Are Palace to explain just how the Eagles’ finances are looking ahead of a busy summer.
“The fact that John Textor, a major critic of FFP, wants to sell his stake in Palace perhaps indicates which way the wind is blowing at Selhurst Park.
“Textor favours squad investment over infrastructure projects, while Steve Parish advocates what he perceives to be more sustainable growth. He believes the new Main Stand will be worth an extra £20m per season.
“In the current three-year PSR assessment window, Palace have lost £92m. I expect that figure to remain largely the same once data for 2023-24 is available. That’s well within the £105m allowable loss limit.
“Under the current system, therefore, they will have the facilities to spend at roughly the rate they have over the last three seasons, when their net spend has averaged out at about £60m.
“If they decide to sell one of their star players, that would free up his salary and whatever fee they get for him immediately. That total amount will be added to the budget, should the owners choose to cover it.
“Palace’s FFP situation is also enhanced as they have paid for the likes of Adam Wharton in instalments whereas, even if they sell someone like Michael Olise to a club who want to pay in instalments, they can go through a transfer creditor to get the cash upfront.
“In terms of the Premier League’s incoming squad cost control ratio, Palace are one of the better-placed teams in the division.
“While they don’t appear to have the margin to make huge alterations to their current budget, they are in a stable position and, unlike many other clubs, will not have to make cuts if the rules are as they have been reported.
“The new financial anchoring system meanwhile, which will tie spending to a 4-5 multiple of the lowest-earning club’s TV cash, won’t be an issue for Palace, nor any teams besides the ultra-rich.”
Jobe Bellingham should be easily afforded alongside a second defender
While a transfer net spend of £60m might not sound like an awful lot right now, it will go a long way under the excellent recruitment of Dougie Freedman.
This does however tell us that a big sale would go a long way in allowing the Eagles to be relatively free this summer.
With £14m gone on Riad, the free arrival of Daichi Kamada will be more than covered by the wages saved by outgoing players.
Bellingham is likely to cost anywhere between £15m and £20m, which would leave Palace with a healthy chunk to bring another defender to Selhurst Park. With a big sale perhaps with Marc Guehi going for what would be around £60m, only furthering the scope to improve the squad.
The post Explained: How much Crystal Palace can actually spend this summer amid Jobe Bellingham links appeared first on We are Palace.