Wilfried Zaha is the key as Frank De Boer looks to bring Ajax template to Crystal Palace

Wilfried Zaha

LAST SEASON

14th

TOP SCORER

Christian Benteke (15)

KEY INS

Jairo Riedewald (Ajax, £8m), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea, loan)

Jairo Riedewald

KEY OUTS

Steve Mandanda (Marseille, £2.5m), Fraizer Campbell (Hull, free), Mathieu Flamini (free agent), Joe Ledley (free agent), Zeki Fryers (Barnsley, free)

REASONS TO BE POSITIVE

An attack-minded Frank De Boer will take his Ajax template and unlock the attacking potential of Zaha, Jason Puncheon and Christian Benteke up front.

REASONS TO BE PESSIMISTIC

Liverpool loanee Mamadou Sakho played a huge role in saving Palace last year and without him the defence looks frail.

ONE TO WATCH

Loftus-Cheek. Limited to only six appearances from Chelsea’s bench last season, a loan move to Palace offers the technical but rangey midfielder a chance to prove his worth in the Premier League.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

EXPECTATION

A mid-table finish in De Boer’s first season without the threat of relegation, building on the Sam Allardyce era.

REALITY

May not struggle as much as last year but will be looking over their shoulders in the lower half of the table.