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Crystal Palace complete Erdal Rakip loan signing and close in on Jaroslaw Jach transfer

Strong man: Centre-half Jaroslaw Jach (right) is closing in on a Palace move: Bongarts/Getty Images
Strong man: Centre-half Jaroslaw Jach (right) is closing in on a Palace move: Bongarts/Getty Images

Crystal Palace have made Swedish midfielder Erdal Rakip their first January signing and are also closing in on a deal for Polish centre-back Jaroslaw Jach.

Rakip, 21, will join Palace on loan from Benfica for the rest of the season.

Jach, 23, is in London to complete a £2million move from Zaglebie Lubin and sign a three-and-a-half contract at Selhurst Park which could be completed on Tuesday.

Rakip this month joined Benfica from Malmo but is being immediately sent on loan out by the Portuguese club.

Hodgson hopes Rakip will add some creativity to the Palace side with Ruben Loftus-Cheek facing a long spell out with an ankle injury and Yohan Cabaye also out injured.

Rakip is a Sweden Under-21 international who helped Malmo win the Swedish title last season.

Loftus-Cheek may need surgery and Cabaye was stretchered off against Arsenal with possible ankle ligament damage.

Hodgson hopes 6ft 3ins Jach will strengthen a defence that has been hit by injuries and was torn apart by Arsenal in Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Emirates Stadium.

A defender has been a priority because Palace have lost Scott Dann for the rest of the season to a knee injury and Mamadou Sakho has been out for six weeks with a calf problem.

Jach played for Poland against England at the European Under-21 Championships last summer and hopes to go to the World Cup this summer.

He is a strong centre-back who made his international debut in November and has been capped twice by his country.

Hodgson is keen to reinforce his squad further this month as he bids to keep Palace in the Premier League. He also wants to sign a striker and another goalkeeper.