According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace defender Patrick van Aanholt has held initial talks over a pre-contract move to an unnamed Champions League club this summer.

What's the word?

Van Aanholt has remained coy despite intense scrutiny over his future amid interest from Premier League giants Arsenal.

The 30-year-old's contract is set to expire at the end of this season, whilst talks have reportedly broken down between the club and his representatives, which has paved the way for him to leave the club for free when the transfer window opens in just a few months time.

Previous reports had suggested that Ajax were preparing a move for the former Chelsea fullback in the January transfer window but a move failed to materialise.

And now, Football Insider claim that his agent has entered negotiations with an unnamed club over a possible summer move.

Good news for Tyrick Mitchell?

Should Van Aanholt depart Selhurst Park this summer, his exit would clear the way for Tyrick Mitchell to establish himself as the undisputed first-choice left-back at the club.

Both players have been jostling for position in Hodgson's starting XI this season following Mitchell's emergence in the first team with varied levels of success.

Mitchell, 21, has played 13 games in the Premier League this season thus far, having started the last-gasp 2-1 victory over Brighton, whereas Van Aanholt, who is nine years his senior, has made 14 top-flight appearances in total this term.

Despite his age, the highly-touted prospect has already established himself as a fan favourite in such a short space of time for his all-round capabilities, earning high praise from The Athletic's Matt Woosnam in the process, who previously described him as a 'silent assassin.'

Meanwhile, a WhoScored match rating of 6.61 sees him ranked eighth in terms of the entire Palace squad, having stepped up to the plate in Van Aanholt's absence. For context, that's nine places higher than the Dutchman, which suggests that he has been performing at a higher level than his teammate.

The stats indicate that he has been doing just that too - he is currently averaging more tackles (3.6) and more clearances (2.5) while he commits fewer fouls than the veteran.

With Van Aanholt out of the picture, it could present Mitchell - who is currently valued at £4.5m via Transfermarkt - with the perfect opportunity to cement himself as Palace's starting left-back for years to come.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace suffer significant injury setback with Roy Hodgson unsure when Wilfried Zaha will return...