This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

According to a report in The Sun, Chelsea are targeting a January move for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha in January if the Blues can get their transfer ban overturned this month.

What's the word, then?

Well, the Court of Arbitration for Sport will listen to the west Londoner's appeal on November 20th, and if Frank Lampard's side are granted permission to enter the market once again, they have three players in their sights.

Along with Zaha, Chelsea are said to be targeting RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner and Leicester full-back Ben Chilwell in what would be a £150m swoop for the trio.

Zaha wanted to leave Selhurst Park back in the summer and even handed in a transfer request to try and force a move, although the Eagles held firm - reportedly leaving the Ivorian 'devastated'.

One reason why Palace simply don't need to sell

The south Londoners don't need to sell because they don't need the money.

Palace submitted a £25m bid for Reece James back in the summer - which was rejected by Chelsea - while also seeing a £23m bid for CSKA Moscow striker Fedor Chalov rebuffed.

This strongly implies that the Eagles may have, at the very least, £48m to play with in January, with Roy Hodgson outlining the need to 'address' the club's lack of strikers and full-backs.

“Most people will tell you that they are expecting the clubs with the vast amounts to spend on quality players to assert themselves over 38 games. If we are going to get close, we are going to have to make certain that we are not reliant on so few forwards and full-backs. That is something we will have to address in the January transfer window.”

In that respect, why would Palace sell Zaha in January, disrupting their own campaign - which is currently looking quite promising - while earning them some cash that they don't really need right now.

Steve Parish rebuffed an offer as high as £70m from Everton back in the summer, which also included James McCarty as well as Cenk Tosun on loan, so that only reinforces the notion that finances are not needed desperately at Selhurst Park for Hodgson to make his desired January additions.