The 19-year-old was signed in September with just 18 Ligue 1 appearances to his name, having made his professional debut a year prior. For Palace, signing a raw and unproven youngster for a £23 million fee was a significant but encouraging risk.
Canvot had a staggered start. Despite an excellent first Premier League start against rivals Brighton, minutes were few and the scarce opportunities didn’t allow for momentum to be built.
Crystal Palace defender Jaydee Canvot during Chelsea defeat (Image: Keith Gillard)
Palace’s poor form meant that Canvot’s inexperience and mistakes were fixated on. Consequently, Jefferson Lerma, a midfielder by trade, overtook Canvot in the pecking order at centre-back.
The lowest point came during Palace’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. Canvot, playing out of position at right wing-back, was tormented by Gabriel Martinelli for 45 painful minutes. Glasner withdrew him at half-time, conceding his mistake.
However, the shape of Canvot’s season started to change in February. Palace had been backed into a corner with Marc Guehi’s contract expiring, and were forced to sell their captain and best defender mid-campaign. Neither Lerma nor the returning Chadi Riad made Guehi’s place their own, with the latter recovering from two serious long-term injuries.
Guehi celebrates in Crystal Palace kit with pumped fistFormer Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi after scoring winning goal at Fulham (Image: PA)
Re-enter Canvot, slightly more battle-hardened, and surrounded by a rejuvenated team with a recent victory at Brighton under their belt. Canvot was enabled to demonstrate his progressive passing ability, impressing in a short cameo away at Zrinjski Mostar.
He’s started all nine games for Palace since. The Eagles have lost only once during that run, and conceded an average of just 0.44 goals per game. For comparison, in games Canvot hasn’t started this season, Palace have averaged 1.04 goals conceded. The post-Guehi back three has found its rhythm.
Crystal Palace defender Jaydee Canvot against Newcastle (Image: Keith Gillard)
Canvot’s confidence on the ball has significantly increased. He completed 110 passes in the second leg against Mostar, the most by a teenager for an English club in a European game on record.
A week later, his line-breaking pass to Adam Wharton led directly to Palace’s second goal away at Tottenham Hotspur. And, of course, Canvot’s explosive run from defence into Newcastle’s final third on Sunday sparked Palace’s second win from behind this season, extending their unbeaten run to six games.
Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates equaliser against Newcastle with Jaydee Canvot (Image: Keith Gillard)
In a side that has struggled for impetus and unpredictability, Canvot has offered an unexpected source of both. This is no small feat for a player in his first Premier League season, and two years younger than Guehi was at the time of his move to South London in 2021.
Guehi is a world-class footballer, and there is no doubt that his sale weakened the squad. But it also provided an opportunity for one of France’s best young talents to stake a claim for himself in Palace’s first-ever European team. Guehi’s exit has fast-tracked Canvot’s development, exposing him to a level of football he would not have expected this soon when signing in the summer.
Crystal Palace defender Jaydee Canvot against Newcastle (Image: Keith Gillard)
It is a testament to Palace’s recruitment that Canvot has firmly established himself as a starter. His acquisition was proactive, replacing Guehi before he left and allowing for the baton to be passed on seamlessly.
Canvot embodies Palace’s supposed model: investing in talent that appreciates in value, then cashing in while having the next prospect ready to step up and repeat the cycle. They must continue to take such risks, as Canvot has demonstrated the benefit.