Under Patrick Vieira, Crystal Palace have become an exciting, youthful team that will surely be targeting a spot in European football in the not-too-distant future.

The French manager ditched a number of players that had stagnated under the stale ending to Roy Hodgson's time with the Eagles and brought in fresh-faced talents such as Michael Olise, Marc Guehi and Odsonne Edouard.

However, there are still a few players from the Hodgson regime that remain at Selhurst Park, when it would perhaps be better for all parties if they moved on.

One such example is veteran midfielder, James McArthur. The former Scotland international joined the club from Wigan Athletic in 2014 and has been a superb servant in the eight years since, making 249 appearances for the club and contributing 19 goals and 23 assists.

His playing time has understandably dwindled in recent seasons but injury issues have meant that he is yet to play a single minute of the current campaign and it seems unlikely at this point that the 35-year-old will ever be a regular in Vieira's side again.

The 35-year-old already fell behind in the pecking order with the summer arrival of Cheick Doucoure and if Palace do bring in another midfielder during the January transfer window, it may well be curtains for McArthur at Selhurst Park.

While his contract is set to expire at the end of the season, Vieira should certainly consider the possibility of moving him on sooner, as his £55k-per-week wage is currently going down the drain, and could definitely be spent more wisely.

It would be a ruthless decision to get rid of a player who has been a big part of Palace's identity for nearly a decade, but football is a ruthless business and the Scottish midfielder no longer offers what he once did for the Eagles.

McArthur may have been described as a "leader" and a "manager's dream" in the past by the Athletic's Matt Woosnam but injury problems have meant that his time at the club could end on a sour note, as Vieira cannot afford to have injury-prone veterans in his side if he wants to continue the youthful transformation that Palace have undergone under his tenure.