By Graham Moody

FORMER Charlton winger Jerome Thomas is set to become Crystal Palace's first signing of the summer as the Eagles begin to build for the Premier League.

Thomas was released by West Bromwich Albion at the end of last season and is available on a free transfer to fill the void left by Wilfried Zaha’s move to Manchester United.

The 30-year-old’s agent Tony Finnigan confirmed he had met and spoken to Palace and he was hopeful of getting a deal wrapped up quickly.

“We haven’t agreed anything yet but we are talking,” he said.

Thomas came through the Arsenal youth ranks but failed to make an appearance for the Gunners’ first team before moving to Palace's rivals Charlton in 2004 and then Premier League Portsmouth in 2008.

He was linked with a move to Palace when he left Pompey a year later before opting to move to West Brom, where he made 106 appearances and scored 13 goals.

Reports in the north have also linked Palace with Sunderland’s David Vaughan, who was Blackpool’s player of the season when they played in the Premier League under current Eagles manager Ian Holloway in 2011.

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