Crystal Palace are already considering a move for Lille manager Paulo Fonseca to replace Roy Hodgson at the end of the season, according to The Guardian.

The Lowdown: Hodgson in

The Eagles parted ways with Patrick Vieira last week after a run of 12 games without a win in 2023. U21s coach Paddy McCarthy was tasked with taking the side to Arsenal 48 hours after the Frenchman's dismissal, with Palace suffering a 4-1 defeat in the Premier League, remaining just three points clear of the relegation zone heading into the international break.

Steve Parish and the Palace board have now reappointed Hodgson, with the 75-year-old given the job until the end of the season, aiming to keep his boyhood club in the top flight.

As to be expected, Hodgson appears to be a short-term solution at Selhurst Park, with Palace already looking at who could come in for the long run at the end of the campaign.

The Latest: Palace interest

The Guardian’s Ed Aarons shared a story in the last 24 hours following the news of Hodgson’s return to Palace. The journalist touched on the club’s plans for the summer, with Fonseca and Adi Hutter named as possible targets, with Aarons stating that they have admirers from Palace boardroom members.

‘Adi Hutter, who was sacked by Borussia Monchengladbach last May, and Lille’s Paulo Fonseca are believed to be among the managers under consideration to take over at the end of the season, with both having supporters in the Palace boardroom.’

The Verdict: Interesting

Sky Sports claimed that Hutter was spoken to prior to the move for Hodgson. He's currently out of work, so could have been a straightforward appointment, but Fonseca’s name is a more interesting one.

The 4-2-3-1 manager has enjoyed success with SC Braga and Shakhtar Donetsk, winning eight trophies with the two clubs. He has also managed AS Roma and currently averages 1.75 points per game with Lille in Ligue 1 this season.

Born in Mozambique but a Portuguese citizen, Fonseca was linked with the Palace job back in 2021 prior to Vieira’s appointment and has recently been name-checked as a potential replacement for Antonio Conte at Tottenham, with Spurs seemingly preferring the 50-year-old to Mauricio Pochettino.

Therefore, a move for Fonseca could be a shrewd one by Palace chiefs, as it does feel as if it could be just a matter of time until the manager tries his luck in the Premier League following stints in Portugal, Ukraine, Italy and now France.