£26m Newcastle United transfer ‘target’ could make long-awaited Premier League debut at St James’ Park

Crystal Palace summer signing Matheus Franca could make his long awaited Premier League debut when they make the trip to St James’ Park. Franca has yet to feature for the Eagles since his £26m move from Flamengo in the summer after suffering a lower back injury.

Before his move to Selhurst Park in August, Franca was heavily-linked with a move to St James’ Park after impressing in Brazil. However, it would be the Eagles that swooped ahead of the Magpies to secure his signature, although fans have yet to catch a glimpse of why he was so heavily courted during the summer transfer window.

Speaking about the injury picked up by his star signing in August, Palace boss Roy Hodgson said: "There isn’t really a timeframe because he will need another scan to start with, and that will then tell us if the injury that he had when he joined us is progressing and clearing up.

“Then, after that scan – which will hopefully take place before the end of the month – then we’ll draw up a new plan.

“In the very best of scenarios it will be that he’s okay, and we can really accelerate his training and get him back onto the field of play with us. In a worst case scenario, it might mean he needs more time to recover from the injury.”

Whilst Hodgson couldn’t put a time frame on Franca’s recovery back in August, recent reports have indicated that the 19-year-old may be close to making his debut for the club. Palace will almost certainly be without Eberechi Eze after he was left-out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad with a hamstring injury.