Dougie Freedman will not rush into the transfer market this summer as he looks to turn Crystal Palace into genuine promotion contenders.

Saturday’s 3-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest effectively ended any hopes the Eagles had of gatecrashing the top six this season – something Freedman always believed was beyond them.

Having struggled for goals – they have scored just 40 in 40 games – it is easy to see where the squad needs strengthening but Freedman will take his time to get the right players in.

“We are going to get to the summer and then assess the season in terms of where we think we need to get better and then see what is out there,” he said.

“The problem we have is there is no point talking to the board about money if there is nothing out there.

“Once I discover people I think will make us stronger, then I will approach the board and they have never turned down any signings.

“As long as I can stay within our financial plans I think they will back us.”

As well as players coming in at Palace, there could be as many as eight leaving with Nathaniel Clyne, Anthony Gardner, Lee Hills, Calvin Andrew, Nathaniel Pinney, Jake Caprice, Jack Holland and Charlie Holness all out of contract.

Gardner’s future is one the Eagles would like to secure, with the former Tottenham Hotspur man having impressed alongside Paddy McCarthy this year, but Freedman will wait until later this month to sit down with him and the other players to discuss their futures.

“We are too far away at the moment,” he said.

“We are going to get the next couple of weeks out of the way and then we will talk with Anthony and also the others.

“We will look at it and decide who I feel can help us next year.”