Crystal Palace looking to land Ashley Cole on loan again

Crystal Palace, 2/1 chances with Coral to be relegated, are plotting a sensational winter window loan move for former Arsenal, Chelsea and England left back Ashley Cole.

Cole, who turns before 34 before Christmas, has lost his place at Roma, the club he joined on a free only this past summer, to Greece international Jose Holebas.

Eagles boss Neil Warnock is looking to strengthen his defence in January, and Cole’s vast Premier League experience (he has played almost 300 games in England’s top-flight) would be a great asset.

Palace’s current left back Joel Ward is naturally right-footed, can also play in midfield and has also been linked with moves to other clubs like Liverpool, where his versatility would be valuable.

England centurion Cole spent time on loan at Selhurst Park during the 1999/00 season prior to breaking into the Gunners first-team, when the Eagles were in the old Division One (now the Championship). He played 14 times, scoring once.

Some 15 years later, Cole could now be set for an unlikely return to south London. Defensive reinforcements last January helped Warnock’s predecessor Tony Pulis stave off relegation and keep Palace up in the Premier League for the first time.

The signing of Scott Dann strengthened the Eagles’ rearguard, so the club will be looking to pull off a similar coup here with Cole.

In other Palace news, tabloid reports claim their relegation rivals Burnley (1/2 favourites) and Leicester City (also odds-on at 4/7) are interested in signing unsettled forward Dwight Gayle, rated at £5m.

The 24-year-old attacker has only completed 90 minutes in the Premier League once this term, but was prolific in the Capital One Cup, scoring four times across two outings.

Both Sean Dyche’s Clarets and Nigel Pearson’s Foxes are both short of firepower. Only Aston Villa have scored fewer goals than Burnley, while basement side Leicester are on an 11-match winless run.