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.