Crystal Palace journalist Matt Woosnam has confirmed that the club did not believe Scott Dann would fit into Patrick Vieira’s style of play after allowing the central defender to leave the club.
The 34-year-old has departed on a free transfer, becoming the latest of a number of players to depart Selhurst Park for nothing.
Dann had made 181 appearances for the club, having joined from Blackburn Rovers back in 2014.
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The veteran was named captain of the club in 2016 and he has joined Gary Cahill and Mamadou Sakho in departing for nothing.
Palace have already signed Marc Guehi from Chelsea and Joachim Andersen from Fulham and Sky Sports reports that the club remain in the market to sign another central defender before the transfer deadline.
And Woosnam insists that Dann simply did not fit the profile of defender that the Frenchman is looking for as he bids to reshape Palace’s playing style.
He said: “I think under Vieira, they’re moving in a different direction. The centre-backs are going to have to be better on the ball, they’re going to have to be quicker, they have to be more reliable in terms of fitness and injuries.
“And I just think while Dann hasn’t had too many injuries of late, I just don’t think he necessarily suits that sort of play quite as much.”