Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson insists he's not freezing out Jairo Riedewald.

Hodgson says the Dutch defender is close to a first team return.

"He is emphatically knocking on the door. He has worked hard on his game and understands what we are trying to do here. He also agreed that the Premier League is a very different league than the Eredivisie," Hodgson said.

"And if you come from Ajax, a team that always participates at the top, then it is completely different. But he has adjusted and earns the credit for what he has done to get where he is now.

"It is clear that he is a boy with qualities and that he has managed to adapt well to the level of the Premier League. Moreover, we think there is still a lot of room for improvement. After all, he is still a very young player."