Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson is unsure working the January market.

Hodgson is only too aware of the 'pitfalls' of panic buying after Christmas.

"It would be interesting to look at the past few transfer windows at the players bought and the amount of money they cost, the salaries they command, and work out whether there were more bargains than otherwise," said Hodgson.

"I would fear there would be less bargains than players who have been brought in at enormous expense but haven't really done what the club hoped they would do.

"I don't like wasting money, mine or other people's. I feel a sense of responsibility - I want the players I am responsible for bringing into the club to do well.

"I want the club to say to me afterwards 'that was a good decision to bring in this player', so I will take a lot of interest and responsibility for that.

"But, of course, as we all know there are no guarantees with transfers. You can do all the right research and for some reason it doesn't go right for that player.

"It's not an exact science, you need luck. But I also think the more you research their character, the more you work on the basis whether they the right fit, you can try to avoid the bigger pitfalls.

"But I don't know of any manager who can hold his hand up and say 'I get it spot on every time'."