Crystal Palace have been in desperate need of attacking reinforcement and look like they might secure it early in the January transfer window by signing Brennan Johnson. 

The Athletic reported on Thursday evening that a deal for the Tottenham Hotspur forward is close, and if it can be completed in time, he will be available to face Newcastle United on Sunday. That would be a major boost for Palace manager Oliver Glasner, both in the immediate and longer term, given his squad is down to the bare bones. 

The 24-year-old will offer something Palace do not have while Ismaila Sarr is away with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations: direct running into pockets of space beyond defenders to stretch the play.

Johnson’s relative versatility is also a benefit. Although most capable on the right, he can play on the left, where he started this season and a not insubstantial number of his appearances for Spurs have come from. When Sarr returns, it would allow Palace to ease him back in, rotate him or allow Yeremy Pino a rest on the opposite side. That versatility gives Palace options at last, especially if there are injuries. 

There is inevitably going to be some level of adjustment required as he becomes accustomed to the intensity and style of Glasner’s system, and particularly so if he plays in that less familiar left-sided role in due course. But that does not take away from how desperately Palace need additions to the squad and how helpful his arrival will prove.

Palace’s squad is down to the bare bones. Justin Devenny, for all his endeavour and commitment, is not an attacking threat in the No 10 position, having scored only one Premier League goal in his Palace career. His work rate is invaluable, but Palace need more than hard workers.

Johnson, though, appears to be a good fit for Glasner’s system and shares similarities with Sarr. For what would be a club-record signing, he would expect to play regularly.

Palace’s bench against Fulham laid bare their troubles. It is not a slight on their young players, who are talented and have potential, but even with a smaller squad, needing to rely on two teenage forwards in Benji Casey and Joel Drakes-Thomas (17 and 16 respectively), as well as a 20-year-old Romain Esse, who has played 169 Premier League minutes, is not conducive to success.

Daichi Kamada’s hamstring injury was unfortunate but Palace know they did not strengthen sufficiently in the summer, albeit with caveats for the reasons why. The speed with which they have sought to acquire Johnson, however, may go some way to mitigating the problems caused by that lack of summer business, which have become clearer as the season has progressed.