Crystal Palace target Rickie Lambert as they explore free agent market

Steve Parish is a long-time admirer of the former Liverpool striker

Rickie Lambert is without a club after being released by Cardiff (Getty)

Crystal Palace are exploring free-agent options this month as they try to help Roy Hodgson in his relegation battle long before the January transfer window opens.

Palace are bottom of the Premier League table with six defeats from six games, but did beat Bromley 2-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly ahead of matches against Manchester United and Chelsea.

Steve Parish and their new sporting director Dougie Freedman are working hard to improve the squad as quickly as possible and that means investigating the free-agent market for players they could add to the squad as soon as they sign.

Rickie Lambert has been mooted as a potential option this month, after he was released by Cardiff City in January. Parish is known to be a long-time admirer of the former England international, but Palace have not approached him yet, with the 35-year-old still training in Liverpool to get fit.

Palace are already preparing the way for a new signing to arrive in the next few weeks, as they have already made one space open in their 25-man Premier League squad.

Goalkeeper Kleton Perntreou has been released and said that he was told he would be making way for a new signing. “I got told by the club officials that they needed to free up a space in the 25 man squad for a new signing that should be coming in the next few days,” he told the South London Press.