Crystal Palace are exploring a late loan move for Chelsea wing-back Ben Chilwell, the News Shopper understands.
The South London club have been seeking a left wing-back in the winter window, with Slavia Prague’s El Hadji Malick Diouf identified as the top target at the start of the window.
However, Prague upped their demands for Diouf after securing the sales of Antonín Kinský to Tottenham and Matej Jurasek to Norwich for a combined £20m.
The Czech club are understood to be holding out for offers in excess of £20m for the Senegalese international, which Palace are currently unprepared to pay.
Palace have drawn up several contingency plans, and a move for England international Chilwell is under consideration before the window closes on Monday.
Securing the 28-year-old's signature is not straightforward because he would become the highest earner at Palace if the club were to pay the full amount.
Alongside targeting a wing-back, Crystal Palace are in the market for a centre-back after Trevoh Chalobah’s loan from Chelsea was curtailed and Chadi Riad sustained an ACL injury.
