Journalist Dean Jones has revealed he was shocked to learn that Crystal Palace could try and sign Anthony Elanga on loan on transfer deadline day.

What's the word?

With the final hours of the winter window now upon us, it looks as though the Eagles will end the day having completed an exciting move for one Premier League player.

Indeed, Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga has all but been confirmed as a loan signing for Palace but it looks as though the club are trying to get another deal done, having also welcomed Naouirou Ahamada from Stuttgart.

And while speaking on the Ranks FC deadline day podcast, despite there being no strong links, Jones explained that a source of his at the south London club said the Manchester United man was a loan target.

He explained: "I checked in with one of my contacts that knows Palace very well.

"I said to him, what's going on at Palace, mate, should I expect anything? Literally expecting just, 'Yeah, Lokonga'.

"And he was like, 'Yeah, so Elanga...'

"I was like, Sorry, what? Elanga? Elanga?

"And he's like, 'Yeah, they're asking the question of Elanga. They're not sure if Man United are going to let him out or not but I've asked.'

"And I was like, oh, I like that. That a proper deadline-day signing, isn't it? Zaha is injured so you sign Elanga."

Good move?

Interestingly, journalist Sami Mokbel had actually spoken about Palace chasing one more Premier League loan signing on deadline day after Lokonga - and it now looks as though Elanga was that man.

Seeing as Wilfried Zaha is currently out injured with a suspected hamstring injury, it would have made sense for the club to consider a late swoop in the market to bolster that position.

Elanga could have been a decent option in that role, too. After all, while he isn't a regular starter for United, he has still been trusted enough to play 20 times in all competitions for United this season – delivering two assists in this time.

Interestingly enough, Everton were also said to be potentially considering the player as an option after the sale of Anthony Gordon, so the chances of the Eagles landing him in the closing hours were always going to be slim, but Sky Sports News (31/01, 21:19) claimed Manchester United had suggested that they had no intention of letting Elanga leave.