CRYSTAL Palace are on the lookout for a new left-back in the January transfer window, manager Neil Warnock has confirmed.
Joel Ward, naturally a right-back, has had to fill in on the left side for nearly a year and is currently considering a new contract.
The Eagles bought Zeki Fryers from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer but the youngster has failed to oust Ward, and his only two appearances have come against Newcastle United in the Capital One Cup and Everton in the Premier League.
Warnock told the Advertiser: "Getting a left-back in is one of the targets for January and to improve the squad – we've begun looking."
Warnock is set to travel to three international games in the coming days - one on Friday, one on Saturday and one on Sunday - to scout and watch some of his Palace players in action.
Slovenian international Gregor Balazic has been linked with a move to the Eagles recently, after his contract with Ukrainian club Karpaty Lviv is due to finish at the end of December.
He has been quoted: "I don't know where I will continue my career. I have many offers, not only from England, also from Italy, France and some other countries.
"That, at the moment, is the only thing I can tell you, and the fact that I will be leaving Karpaty."
Don't miss the full interview with Warnock in Friday's Croydon Advertiser.
By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)