Hodgson demands summer transfer pot.. or else he may quit
JURGEN KLINSMANN faced missing the rest of season as Tottenham crashed out of the FA Cup in a 3-1 defeat at Barnsley.
The Germany striker suffered a fractured jaw, broken nose and two cracked teeth following an aerial challenge with defender Arjan de Zeeuw.
Klinsmann’s face crashed into the Dutchman’s shin and the unconscious star was rushed to hospital.
ROY HODGSON wants assurances from Crystal Palace that money will be spent on players in the summer before he signs any contract extension.
The veteran manager was fuming when he was left with only one signing after last week’s transfer deadline day as several potential moves collapsed.
Hodgson, 72, has a oneyear deal – worth £4million plus bonuses – waiting to be signed. Discussions were held last month over his future, but the former England manager is yet to put pen to paper, raising doubts about his future at the club.
His current deal runs out at the end of this season, and the Palace board want him to stay after a successful two-and-a-half years at Selhurst
Park. But Hodgson is seeking guarantees that the squad will be strengthened. He was frustrated as an £8m deal for West Brom full-back Nathan Ferguson fell through on deadline day when the 19-year-old (below, right) was found to have a knee problem. He may yet sign in June.
Palace were also beaten to the punch by West Ham in the £18m race for Hull striker Jarrod Bowen (below, left), and saw another target in
Tottenham defender Kyle Walker-Peters (below, centre) snapped up by Southampton on loan. So Palace’s only senior arrival is Cenk Tosun, for a six-month spell from Everton – and he is injured.
Fellow front man Connor Wickham was allowed to go to Sheffield Wednesday, and barely used Victor Camarasa had his loan deal from Real
Betis terminated. Palace did this week sign defender Jay Rich-Baghuelou, 20, from non-league Welling, but he will go into their Under-23 side, while 18-year-old midfielder Scott Banks was bought from Dundee United and sent out on loan to Alloa.
Hodgson knows Wilfried Zaha will again be a target for rival clubs this summer, though he still has three years left on his contract and Palace are unlikely to drop their £80m valuation.
But other players such as Patrick van Aanholt, a January target for PSV Eindhoven, could also be on their way.
Palace, lying 14th in the Premier League, have won only three of their last 18 matches in all competitions.