Crystal Palace are on the verge of signing former starlet Nathaniel Clyne on a short-term deal, according to Matt Woosnam of The Athletic.
According to the report, the deal is set to run until the end of January. The 29-year-old was released at the end of the 2019-20 season by Liverpool, having missed the whole of last season in rehabilitation after cruciate knee ligament damage.
Following his release, Clyne had been training on his own before being offered a trial period with his former club, going on to impress Eagles manager Roy Hodgson during this period.
Even before his release, the defender had been an outcast over his last few months with Liverpool. Clyne was training on his own at the academy site in Kirkby until the expiry of his contract at the start of July.
Clyne, who won Crystal Palace’s Player of the Year award in the 2010-11 season, will provide immediate cover to experienced right-back Joel Ward as summer signing Nathan Ferguson continues his recovery from injury.
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A short-term deal represents a shrewd move for all parties. If leading right-back Joel Ward were to sustain an injury, Palace would be left with only natural centre-back Martin Kelly as first-team cover.
As Nathan Ferguson is still in a delicate period of his recovery, bringing him into the fold too soon may risk further aggravation to what was already a serious injury to his meniscus in January. The Athletic understands that Ferguson is close to a return for action, and so Clyne will be unlikely to immediately break into a Palace starting XI.
Clyne’s former glories in SE25 will be something of a nostalgic trip for Palace fans, who should relish the chance to see a former hot prospect back in red and blue. Aside from the short-term practicalities, there are plenty of positives to take from this deal.
Should Clyne impress, there is always the potential for an extension to his deal – though this remains to be seen.
