Palace must invest again

It’s the ultimate shop window: a World Cup with 48 teams – all packed with players eager to show what they can do on the biggest stage.

With the transfer window now open, BBC Sport journalists have been taking a look at some of the key names being discussed.

Crystal Palace will come into the season fresh from winning the Conference League, and they have another European campaign as a result.

The main thing that was highlighted last season was that the squad that Palace started the season with lacked depth, which is why the club brought in Jorgen Strand Larsen, Brennan Johnson and Evann Guessand in the winter transfer window.

The Europa League will present a higher level of competition for Palace and as a result they will need to invest again.

Tyrick Mitchell is the only real first-team quality option at left-back, and right-back Daniel Munoz, 30, had knee surgery last season and did not look the same afterwards.

Munoz is now at the World Cup with Colombia. Even though Mitchell has had the summer off after missing out on the England squad, the full-back areas are where Palace will need to bring in back-up or players who can rival the current choices for a place in the starting XI.

New boss Pierre Sage will surely be keeping an eye on the World Cup, but he is fresh to the role and therefore Palace’s signing plans are unclear for now.