Crystal Palace 2023/24 season preview: Key players, summer transfers, squad numbers & predictions

After attempting to move in a different direction with Patrick Vieira at the helm, Crystal Palace returned to what they know to get them out of trouble last season.

Eyebrows were raised when Roy Hodgson was re-appointed at Selhurst Park, but the Premier League's oldest-ever manager made light work of guiding the Eagles to safety.

His stellar work convinced the club that Hodgson was the right man to lead Palace into 2023/24, but the 75-year-old will have to do it without longtime talisman Wilfried Zaha, who finally departed the club on a Bosman earlier this summer.

Here's 90min's preview of Crystal Palace's upcoming season.

Crystal Palace's performance last five seasons

Season	Premier League	FA Cup	EFL Cup
2022/23	11th	R3	R3
2021/22	12th	SF	R2
2020/21	14th	R3	R2
2019/20	14th	R3	R2
2018/19	12th	QF	R4

Summer transfers

Ins:

Matheus Franca (MF) - Flamengo - £26m
Jefferson Lerma (MF) - Bournemouth - free

Outs:

Wilfried Zaha (FW) - Galatasaray - free
Jack Butland (GK) - Rangers - free
Luke Plange (FW) - Carlisle - loan
Luka Milivojevic (MF) - released
James McArthur (MF) - retired

Squad numbers

*Numbers subject to change before end of transfer window

Number	Name
2	Joel Ward
3	Tyrick Mitchell
5	James Tomkins
6	Marc Guehi
7	Michael Olise
8	Jefferson Lerma
9	Jordan Ayew
10	Eberechi Eze
13	Vicente Guaita
14	Jean-Philippe Mateta
15	Jeffrey Schlupp
16	Joachim Andersen
17	Nathaniel Clyne
19	Will Hughes
21	Sam Johnstone
22	Odsonne Edouard
23	Malcolm Ebiowei
26	Chris Richards
28	Cheick Doucoure
29	Naouirou Ahamada
31	Remi Matthews
32	Jake O'Brien
33	Scott Banks
34	Killian Phillips
36	Nathan Ferguson
38	Tayo Adaramola
41	Joe Whitworth
44	Jairo Riedewald
45	John-Kymani Gordon
47	Jack Wells-Morrison
49	Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
77	David Ozoh
78	Kaden Rodney

Key players

Eberechi Eze came on strong down the stretch last season / Gregory Shamus/GettyImages

Star player

With Zaha heading to Turkey, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise will battle it out to become Palace's leading man. But, considering there are doubts over the latter's future, Eze gets star player status.

The dynamic midfielder came on strong under Hodgson's tutelage last season, with six of his ten Premier League goals arriving in the final 11 games of the season amid Palace's resurgence.

Eze showed signs of developing into a match-winner last season, and he's looked bright in pre-season, scoring a magnificent solo goal against Sevilla.

One to watch

South London and Proud.

Matheus França 🦅 pic.twitter.com/uM3WXeUert
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 5, 2023

The Eagles haven't yet acquired a direct replacement for Zaha, but they did make a splash in the South American market by signing teenage playmaker Matheus Franca from Flamengo for £26m.

The raw Brazilian has untapped potential in bags and Hodgson may well use him wide left in 2023/24. While he's an attacking midfielder by trade, Franca enjoys drifting out to the left flank, so perhaps Palace view the youngster as someone capable of mitigating Zaha's exit.

It'd be harsh and unrealistic to expect so much out of the 19-year-old during his first season at the club, but Franca's talent suggests he could be an incredibly fun player to watch.

2023/24 kits

Home kit

Reminiscent of Palace's 2013/14 home kit / Peter Nicholls/GettyImages

Away kit

I’d prefer it without the writing in the sash but the new Palace away kit is genuinely lovely. pic.twitter.com/YzTmOi8Td9
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) July 11, 2023

Third kit

Who's a fan of the new third kit then? 👀🖤
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 7, 2023

Premier League prediction

Palace have made a habit of comfortably avoiding the drop while never truly threatening the top half for the past however many years, and it looks as if 2023/24 will follow a similar pattern.

Hodgson's nous should ensure the Eagles once again emerge in a comfortable position in the bottom half of the table. Although, some might be concerned with their lack of firepower in attack should Olise join Zaha in the departure lounge.

Thus, this prediction could look a little different if Hodgson doesn't have both of last season's starting wingers at his disposal.