From promotion races and relegation battles to breakthrough campaigns and senior international recognition, 13 Palace loanees continued to gather valuable first-team experience across every level of the game.
Check out how they fared below!
2025/26 Loan Report: How all of Palace’s Loanees have got on this season
Crystal Palace’s loan contingent experienced another season full of milestones across England and Europe in 2025/26, with players featuring from the Championship to the Belgian second tier.
Danny Imray – Blackpool / West Bromwich Albion
Few Palace loanees enhanced their reputation more during the second half of the season than Danny Imray.
After an encouraging opening six months with Blackpool in League One – where he scored twice and provided two assists across 16 appearances – the wing-back stepped up to the Championship with West Bromwich Albion in January and never looked back.
Initially signed under Eric Ramsay, Imray became a key figure following James Morrison’s appointment, quickly cementing his place on the right side of Albion’s defence during a tense relegation battle complicated further by a two-point deduction.
Imray started each of the club’s final 11 matches as West Brom pieced together a decisive 10-game unbeaten run to secure survival, with the 22-year-old playing a central role throughout.
His energy and attacking quality from wing-back proved particularly important during the run-in, contributing a goal and an assist in a crucial 3-0 victory over Watford at The Hawthorns.
Defensively, he also helped Albion record five consecutive clean sheets during one of the strongest periods of their campaign. In total, Imray made 16 Championship appearances, collected three Player of the Match awards and quickly became a favourite among the Baggies faithful.
David Ozoh – Derby County
David Ozoh enjoyed an important season of growth at Derby County, bouncing back strongly after the injury frustrations which disrupted his previous spell at Pride Park.
The midfielder became a key figure under John Eustace throughout the 2025/26 campaign, making 35 appearances as Derby mounted a push towards the Championship play-off places.
Although the Rams ultimately fell short on the final day following defeat to Sheffield United, their eighth-place finish represented major progress after battling relegation the previous season.
Ozoh played a significant role in that improvement. Operating primarily at the base of midfield alongside Lewis Travis, the 21-year-old provided balance, composure and physicality in equal measure.
Shielding a backline featuring Matt Clarke, Dion Sanderson and Sondre Langas, Ozoh’s ball-winning ability and calmness in possession became integral to Derby’s structure, while also allowing more attack-minded players such as Bobby Clark and Sammie Szmodics greater freedom higher up the pitch.
Across his two loan spells at Derby, Ozoh has now made 47 appearances for the club, firmly endearing himself to supporters through his consistency, work ethic and maturity.
Tayo Adaramola – Leyton Orient / Sheffield Wednesday
After beginning the campaign with Leyton Orient in League One, Tayo Adaramola finished the season by establishing himself as a regular Championship starter with Sheffield Wednesday.
The left-back made 18 appearances for Orient during the first half of the season before making the switch to Hillsborough in January.
Adaramola steadily grew in influence in South Yorkshire, making 16 Championship appearances and starting 15 of them, including each of the final six matches of the season in full.
The 22-year-old adapted quickly to the demands of second-tier football, becoming a trusted figure on Wednesday’s left flank under Henrik Pedersen during a turbulent but transformative period for the club.
Despite Wednesday finishing bottom of the Championship table, the atmosphere surrounding the club shifted significantly following the completion of a reported £20million takeover by American businessman David Storch, with sold-out crowds continuing to pack Hillsborough throughout the run-in.
Adaramola handled that pressure impressively. Calm in possession, energetic down the flank and increasingly assured defensively, he made a strong impression among the Wednesday support.
His performances were also rewarded at international level, earning a first senior call-up to the Republic of Ireland national football team squad before making his senior debut in a 5-0 friendly victory over Grenada national football team at the Enrique Roca Stadium in Murcia.
He finished the campaign with one assist, valuable Championship experience, and another significant milestone in his development both domestically and internationally.
Romain Esse – Coventry City
Romain Esse played his part in an outstanding season for Coventry City after joining the Sky Blues on loan in January.
Under Frank Lampard, Coventry amassed 95 points and scored 97 goals on their way back to the Premier League, with Esse contributing during the second half of the campaign as momentum gathered towards promotion.
The attacking midfielder made 17 appearances in total, scoring twice and registering one assist during his spell at the CBS Arena.
As the season reached its decisive stages, Esse increasingly forced his way into Lampard’s plans, starting two of Coventry’s final three matches – including victories over Portsmouth and Watford.
Joe Whitworth – Exeter City
There was heartbreak on the final day for Joe Whitworth and Exeter City as the Grecians suffered relegation to League Two. A 2-1 defeat to Bradford City ultimately confirmed Exeter’s fate despite hopes of survival heading into the final weekend.
For Whitworth personally, however, the season still represented another hugely valuable chapter in his development.
Before injury disrupted the closing weeks of the campaign, the 'keeper had started 39 consecutive league matches and once again established himself as Exeter’s undisputed No.1.
He finished the season with 43 appearances and 13 clean sheets, adding further experience to an already impressive body of work accumulated across two loan spells at St James Park.
Whitworth’s overall Exeter record now stands at 94 appearances – remarkably close to a century of competitive senior games. While the campaign ended in disappointment collectively, the young ‘keeper again demonstrated his resilience and reliability across a demanding League One season.
Owen Goodman – Huddersfield Town / Barnsley
After beginning the campaign with Huddersfield Town, Owen Goodman finished the season strongly during a productive second-half loan spell at Barnsley.
The ‘keeper initially made 12 appearances for Huddersfield, keeping four clean sheets, before switching to Oakwell in January.
Goodman started 22 of the 25 matches he was eligible for with the Tykes and quickly established himself as Barnsley’s first-choice ‘keeper during the closing months of the campaign.
His consistency between the posts helped Barnsley secure a comfortable 15th-place finish in League One, ending the season 10 points clear of relegation.
The 22-year-old also recorded five clean sheets during his time in South Yorkshire, continuing another important season of senior development after last year’s promotion-winning campaign with AFC Wimbledon in League Two.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi – Çaykur Rizespor / Stoke City
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi experienced football in two different countries across the 2025/26 campaign.
The winger began the season in Turkey with Süper Lig side Çaykur Rizespor, making 13 appearances while contributing four goals and one assist during the first half of the campaign.
In January, Rak-Sakyi returned to England to join Stoke City for the remainder of the season in the Championship. He went on to make 15 appearances for the Potters, scoring twice against Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday as Stoke secured survival in 17th place.
Jake Grante – St Albans City / AFC Totton
Jake Grante’s season was unfortunately disrupted by injury during the closing stages of his loan spell with AFC Totton in the National League South (Step Two of the English Football Pyramid).
The defender initially impressed during a strong spell with Isthmian Premier Division side St Albans (Step Three).
He featured in every match he was eligible for after arriving in December and earned the club’s Player of the Month award for March following a five-game unbeaten run which included three clean sheets.
That form saw Grante seal a move to National League South side Totton, where he made his debut against Maidstone United in late March. However, injury curtailed his progress during the run-in as Totton eventually finished 12th in the division.
Zack Henry – Hassocks
Zack Henry gained valuable senior experience during his loan spell with Hassocks in the Isthmian South East Division (Step Four).
After joining in October, Henry made 21 appearances and scored three goals across the campaign while continuing his development in senior football.
Although Hassocks were ultimately relegated following defeat to Ashford United on the final day, the spell provided another important learning experience for Henry.
Marcus Hill – Raynes Park Vale
Marcus Hill featured regularly for Raynes Park Vale during the second half of the campaign.
The defender joined the Isthmian South Central Division side (Step Four) in January and went on to make 16 appearances as Vale secured a 14th-place finish.
Hill also contributed four clean sheets before injury ruled him out towards the end of the season.
Hindolo Mustapha – 1. FC Nürnberg / West Bromwich Albion
Hindolo Mustapha spent the first half of the season in Germany with 1. FC Nürnberg, making two appearances for the club’s Regionalliga Bayern side.
The 19-year-old then returned to England in January to join West Brom, where he made one senior appearance as a late substitute during a 1-1 draw with Southampton.
Aziz Ouedraogo – SV Beveren
Aziz Ouedraogo continued his development in Belgium during a second consecutive season on loan with SV Beveren.
The defender made seven appearances across league and cup competitions during the campaign, contributing to five clean sheets despite limited opportunities.
The spell provided further senior experience within the Belgian second tier as he continued adapting to the demands of first-team football abroad.
Matheus França – Vasco da Gama
Matheus França joined Brazilian side CR Vasco da Gama on loan until June 2026, returning to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A where he first emerged as one of Brazil’s brightest young talents with Flamengo.
With his spell still ongoing, the 21-year-old has so far made seven appearances across league and cup competitions as he continues rebuilding momentum and gaining regular senior minutes back in his homeland.
One of the highlights of his loan to date came in the Copa Sudamericana last week, where França scored in Vasco’s 2-1 victory over Audax Italiano. Receiving the ball just outside the penalty area, the forward shifted onto his right foot before rifling a low finish into the bottom corner to help secure the win.
Loan Life
Last season, Owen Goodman, Danny Imray, Tayo Adaramola and Joe Whitworth all featured in Palace TV’s Loan Life series, offering supporters a behind-the-scenes insight into adapting to new clubs and developing through senior football.
You can watch every episode now on Palace TV.