Crystal Palace have suffered a transfer blow following Angers' encounter with OGC Nice in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

What's the word, then?

Well, after just 43 minutes of this top-flight match in France, Rayan Aït-Nouri was forced off the pitch through injury after suffering a heavy collision with an OGC Nice player.

The south Londoners had been strongly linked with a move for the left-back, with L'Equipe reporting that Palace had made him a priority this month while discussions have already taken place over a transfer.

La Liga side Atletico Madrid are also believed to be keeping an eye on Aït-Nouri, while L'Equipe also mentioned that Angers had set 'high financial requirements' which 'complicate the task' of Roy Hodgson's side.

Blow for Hodgson

Aït-Nouri's manager at Angers, Stéphane Moulin, issued a negative update on the teenager's injury, telling AFP (via L'Equipe): "We don't talk in weeks, but in months."

L'Equipe report that the youngster faces up to four months out, which all but puts an end to Palace bringing him to Selhurst Park this month as he perhaps wouldn't even be able to play until the summer - it is probably best that he stays in France and continues his recovery in familiar surroundings.

It comes as a real blow for Hodgson who has been without first-choice left-back Patrick van Aanholt due to a hamstring injury, and while Jairo Riedewald has been covering for his fellow Dutchman competently, Palace are quite thin on the left side of defence and a new face in that position would've been a welcome addition.

It is now up to those at Selhurst Park to decide whether or not to wait for Aït-Nouri to recover, or get hunting for an alternative to the young Frenchman.

Call yourself a Premier League expert? How much did each of these big-money January signings cost?

One thing is for certain though - this untimely injury update will have scuppered Palace's January transfer plans.

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