I think Zilch is more likely....

But I do really like the look of Sinisterra. Feels like then between him and Franca we've got some Wilf cover.

An insane decision to reduce our strike force by loaning out Gordon to Cambridge, what does he have to do?

And what benefit could that possibly be?

I counted eight goalkeepers here now.

If they did sign the new Zaha they would loan him out to Grimsby.

Guaita will be released and Whitworth will either go out on loan or return to the U21s (he is only 19 after all).

As for Gordon, his stint in League 2 in the 2nd half of last season was no more than solid without indicating that he was ready for the PL (or Championship for that matter). A spell in League 1 (his loan is currently only till January) should serve him and us well. If he stayed, he was never going to get time on the pitch in the PL.

Signing Henderson is an odd one, isn't it?

He is infamous for demanding to be no1 at United and demanding to leave if not, so I doubt he's coming here to sit on the bench. He would also be a very expensive reserve goalie by our standards. All things considered, I expect he will play.

Like many, I presumed Henderson was coming in because something was up with Johnstone. In fact, I expected to hear that Johnstone was on his way somewhere today, but so far I've not seen even a whisper of that, even on clickbait sites.

It's not something I've thought about too much before, but I suppose we have always generally had two decent, top-flight experienced goalies at the club, and that it has (on occasion) been important. Young Whitworth struggled when chucked in at the deep end last year, and Matthews has no top-flight pedigree, so perhaps the club feel not having two good goalies is a massive risk, more so than in any other position. I doubt anyone expected Guitia to throw his toys out the pram so fully when Johnstone took over as no1, so the deal may be one Palace feel forced into by circumstance.

In any event, both goalies are good assets, we got Johnstone for free and could sell him for over £10m at some point in the next 18 months. Even the Henderson price is good value for his profile, so it's not like we've done any bad business in that regard....

It's just not where any of us imagined that much money would go.

As ever, we just don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Perhaps Johnstone is desperate to relocate, and we have told him he can go if an offer comes in. Perhaps they have agreed that he will play and put himself in the shop window between now and Xmas, and that we will accept a good bid for him now (and only now) that we have Henderson. There may not be time for Johnstone to find a new club today, but that doesn't mean he won't end up at one in the end. I suspect we won't know the answer for a while.

Generally though, I am excited by the squad. We have (it seems) kept all the young crown jewels - an especially impressive feat in the case of Olise - and added a new flair player in Franca who, again given his price tag, will surely be expected to play when fit.

If you'd told me when I was a lad that Palace would ever be disappointed to finish a window with two England squad goalies, an experienced international midfielder and a Brazilian wonderkid for big money, I'd not have believed you!

Plus, the night is still young....

Che Adams hasn't gone anywhere. I'd like him to come.

We also haven't brought in a good loan player, which is something we often do. Those deals are either done at the very beginning of summer (when the big club loaning the player already knows they won't be picking him themselves) or at the death when the big club has been able to get in the big signing they wanted and can afford to loan out the lesser player. Something may come up on that front.

Edited by TheBigToePunt (01 Sep 2023 5.04pm)

Holding is a decent signing. Would Roy try a back 3 Holding, Guehi and Anderson.

Lets get a striker now Adams or the Leicester lad.

Reasonable price.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)