Allardyce gets Van Aanholt but he’s still in the market

CRYSTAL PALACE today confirmed the signing of Patrick van Aanholt from Sunderland.

The left-back moves to Palace for an initial £9million and has agreed a four-and-a-half year contract at Selhurst Park. Van Aanholt (below), 26, could make his Palace debut against Bournemouth tomorrow.

Palace manager Sam Allardyce said: “It was a long haul but we finally got it over the line.

“He is a player that brings something to the team we have not got and hopefully he has an instant impact.”

Palace could still do a deal for Arsenal right-back Carl Jenkinson but Allardyce says they have “other priorities” before the 11pm transfer deadline tomorrow.

“Whether it happens I do not know but we have other priorities first,” he said.

“We are still hunting for two players. I spent most of yesterday with the chairman negotiating five or six deals. He is working on that today.”

Asked about a potential swap deal with

Newcastle for Andros Townsend and Chancel Mbemba, Allardyce said: “Not for me at this moment. Targets in are the most important things. In terms of outs, I need to speak to the chairman to see if that is a consideration.”

Palace are interested in former Bercelona and Juventus defender Martin Caceres but any deal would not happen until after the deadline. Caceres, 29, is a free agent who left Juventus last summer.

Palace have been boosted after scans showed the hamstring injury suffered by Jeffrey Schlupp is not as bad as first feared. Schlupp will miss the trip to Bournemouth but he could return against

Sunderland on Saturday.

Wilfried Zaha is in line to return to the Palace side at Bounremouth after Africa Cup of Nations duty.