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Crystal Palace must completely rethink their transfer strategy if they want to be an established Premier League club for many years to come - they have to move away from signing washed-up cast offs and unwanted journeymen, along with players too expensive for their stature.
Punching above their weight
Firstly, you have to give the Eagles credit for their ambition in signing big names such as Yohan Cabaye, Mamadou Sakho and Christian Benteke in the past - players of their status are huge coups for a club like Palace, and show that chairman Steve Parish wants the club to prosper.
However, on other hand, the South Londoners' have sacrificed vital funds by bringing the trio to Selhurst Park, which has seen them skimp on the cheaper options more often than not - Palace should've spread their money evenly, rather than putting all their eggs in one basket with a marquee signing.
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This approach has seen the club end up actually employing the likes of Kevin Doyle, Shola Ameobi, Emmanuel Adebayor and Diego Cavalieri in recent years - players who you'd have wanted in your team ten years ago.
It appears as if the club haven't learnt from the error of their ways, as they are looking to get Michy Batshuayi on loan from Chelsea as the striker's loan move with Valencia looks likely to be cut short - if they do get him, Palace will be spending their limited funds on a £90k-a-week forward who is unlikely to sign permanently, with the exception of a huge cash offer.
A change in approach
Two other forwards who Palace have, more appropriately, been linked with along with the Belgian are Sunderland's Josh Maja and QPR's Ebere Eze, both of whom are 20 years of age and full of star potential.
Maja, who has starred in League One for the Black Cats this season with 14 goals, has recently rejected the offer of a new contract amid interest from the Premier League, with the Eagles amongst those interested.
In Eze's case, the Nigerian has been the leading light in QPR's Championship campaign so far. It only takes one glance at a YouTube video of his highlights to see that he resembles a young Wilfried Zaha in the way he takes people on and muscles them off the ball.
Having said that, Palace have doing much more than watching videos of him on YouTube, as they have reportedly sent scouts to watch him this season, which is a step in the right direction at least.
It is encouraging to see that they are taking a keen interest in the young talent available to them, but Palace must resist the lure of the shiny glamour signing in favour of the rough diamond.