Crystal Palace were reportedly interested in Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow on deadline day but Patrick Vieira's side could return for the Switzerland international in January.

According to The Athletic, Palace are keen on signing the 25-year-old but it was too late for a deal to be concluded in the summer transfer window, and any potential deal will have to wait until January.

It is claimed that Sow was a back-up for Vieira should they fail in their attempts to bring Conor Gallagher back to Selhurst Park, and after the England international remained with Chelsea, Sow could be an option again in the new year.

Vieira suggested that he was short on players after the 1-1 draw with Brentford in midweek but the Eagles failed to bring in any new faces on deadline day, which suggests that they could return for Sow in January, with any deal likely to cost around £21.5m.

Last season saw the midfielder make 31 appearances in the Bundesliga, contributing two goals and three assists, averaging a 6.67 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He was also vital to Frankfurt's Europa League success as he made 12 appearances, averaging a strong 6.89 rating as the German side won the trophy after a penalty shootout win over Rangers.

Gallagher has left a big hole in Palace's squad after he was statistically Vieira's top performer last season, and while Cheick Doucoure has gone some way towards filling his boots, Sow could be an ideal replacement for the Chelsea youngster.

Last season saw the Swiss midfielder average 1.8 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 39.1 passes per game in the Bundesliga, compared with Gallagher's 2.0 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 30.9 passes, which suggests that from a defensive perspective at least, Sow could do a similar job.

The official Bundesliga website said of Sow: "One of Sow's idols growing up was Thierry Henry, but the Eagles midfielder is a much more destructive player than the former Arsenal, Barcelona, and France star. The Eintracht man can play any role in central midfield, but being quick, powerful and good in the tackle means he is well suited to going box-to-box."

Therefore, it is clear that he could play a box-to-box role similar to the one Gallagher played at Selhurst Park, and it would not be a surprise to see Vieira return for Sow in the January transfer window.