Crystal Palace are reportedly considering re-signing their former defender Nathaniel Clyne this summer as new manager Patrick Vieira looks to bolster his defensive options.

What's the story?

According to The Telegraph, Palace are mulling over the possibility of offering the 30-year-old a new deal after his previous contract with the club expired at the end of June.

Clyne made 13 Premier League appearances for the Eagles last season and was one of many ageing campaigners to depart Selhurst Park on free transfers following the conclusion of the campaign.

Patrick Vieira needs him

The pacey full-back is a product of Palace's youth academy and made well over 100 appearances for his boyhood club before making the switch to Southampton back in 2012.

During a three-year spell on the south coast, Clyne established himself as one of English football's most promising right-backs, earning the first of his 14 England caps during his time with the Saints.

A move to Premier League giants Liverpool followed, but several injury issues and the emergence of Trent Alexander-Arnold limited Clyne to just 103 appearances in five years with the Reds.

However, on his day, the dynamic defender was a quality performer for the Anfield outfit, and his standout display against Manchester United in a 3-1 win in 2018 caught the attention of former Liverpool star John Arne Riise.

In appreciation of the defender's efforts, the Norwegian tweeted: "The one player that really deserves praise today is @Nathaniel_Clyne First game after injuries and being out so long. Top class today sir". 

Nevertheless, Clyne couldn't force his way back into Jurgen Klopp's starting XI on a regular basis and ended up signing for Bournemouth on a short-term loan halfway through the 2018/19 campaign before rejoining Palace on a free transfer last summer.

Vieira has already brought in some defensive reinforcements in the current transfer window, with Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi arriving from Lyon and Chelsea respectively, while fellow right-back Joel Ward has signed a two-year contract extension.

Despite the new arrivals, the departures of Mamadou Sakho, Gary Cahill and Scott Dann have still left the Palace backline looking a little short on strength in depth, especially in the full-back positions, so Vieira arguably needs an extra body in case of injuries and suspension.

Bringing Clyne back to Selhurst Park once again is a deal which makes sense, and many Palace fans will surely approve of such a pragmatic move.

In other news... Sky Sports drop exciting transfer update which will leave Palace fans absolutely buzzing