Crystal Palace boss asked whether key midfielder will feature again this season

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has not ruled out Cheick Doucoure playing again this season – but believes it is more important for the 24-year-old to focus on getting himself fit for the next campaign.

Doucoure, who won Palace’s Player of the Season award in his debut campaign with the South Londoners, has been missing since rupturing his Achilles in the 2-1 defeat at Luton in late October.

The Mali midfielder recently put pen to paper on a new five-year deal with the club, extending his stay until 2029.

Palace signed Adam Wharton from Blackburn Rovers in the January window, with the 20-year-old starting alongside Jefferson Lerma in Doucoure’s absence.

Doucoure was expected to miss the rest of the season with the injury he sustained at Kenilworth Road.

Glasner said; “Of course, he and the whole team is working very hard for him maybe to have some minutes at the end of the season.

“But if you have such an injury and are out for such a long period, I cannot say if it will happen or not.

“What I see every day is that he and our team is working really hard for him to get some minutes.

“He has extended his contract until 2029, so we have five more years and many games.

“It’s not so important he has two games this season. It’s important he has 50 next year.”