Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has admitted he would block any January loan exit for youngster David Ozoh at this moment in time.
The South London Press understands Championship side Plymouth have expressed an interest in taking Ozoh on loan for the second half of the season, but the Eagles would only allow the 18-year-old to depart should a first-team replacement arrive to supplement Hodgson’s side.
Ozoh delivered an impressive performance from the bench for the Eagles in the 2-2 draw at Manchester City last weekend, replacing Joel Ward in the first half and helping Palace secure a point.
The academy graduate signed his first professional deal in August 2022 and has made five senior appearances for the Eagles.
Palace are in the market for a midfielder after Cheick Doucoure ruptured his Achilles in the 2-1 defeat at Luton, with the Mali international set to be sidelined for the rest of the campaign.
Plymouth – 16th in the Championship – have just lost their manager Steven Schumacher to Stoke City, and it is yet to be seen whether his departure would
“There isn’t a simple black and white answer – you’re talking about the greyest area of all when it comes to young player loans,” said Hodgson.
“I am very pleased that we kept Jes with us. I was devastated by his injury, but I thought up until that point, he had made really good strides.
“He was looking decent and pretty good when he came back from Charlton with a spring in his step because he got a few pats on the back, but there was definitely a step up in his play and understanding of what it takes to be a Premiership football until he got injured.
“We were currently congratulating ourselves on keeping him here and working with us and the players that he has around him here. We think it’s been good for his development, and we weren’t at all sure that going on loan somewhere with a different environment and a lesser level of competitive play on a daily basis in training is the right thing for him.
“January will come around, and I’m sure his name will come up, and I’m sure other names will come up.
“In that area, Steve and Doug do give myself and the other members of the coaching staff a lot of responsibility, but we will look at it and do what is best for the club and the player.
“You can’t make it as simple as saying: ‘The player would like to go for a few more games. Let him go’.
“Because you might not be able to afford it – it might make too much of a hole in your squad and cause you headaches going forward. Not only that, but you might not be doing any favours for the player either.
“It didn’t do Aaron Wan-Bissaka harm when I stopped him from going in January.
“It didn’t do Tyrick Mitchell any harm when I stopped him from going.
“At the moment, the thought of David Ozoh leaving to go somewhere else to play some football at a lower level in January, I would just dismiss out of hand.
“But who knows? It will be decided on a case-by-case basis. My conservative approach will be more that if they’re good, if you believe in them and if you think that they have the ability to become a Premiership player at Crystal Palace, you work with them here, you don’t trust it to somebody else to make them a Premiership player.”
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