What can Crystal Palace expect from Frank de Boer?

Wearing his trademark smile that can sometimes resemble a grimace, Frank de Boer held up the Crystal Palace shirt on Monday after being unveiled as the club's new boss.

His appointment was the Eagles' fifth hire in four years, but can the Dutchman, who signed a three-year contract with the Croydon outfit, bring some stability to his third job in senior management?

(Photo courtesy: @CPFC)

Related: Crystal Palace appoints Frank de Boer as manager

Here are three aspects that could define De Boer's first foray in English football:

The backup brigade should get a chance

In his successful five-and-a-half-year stint in charge of Ajax - where he procured four Eredivisie titles - De Boer returned to the club's policy of promoting youth into the senior setup after it was briefly slowed by his predecessor Martin Jol.

Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld, and Everton new boy Davy Klaassen enjoyed their first strides in professional football under De Boer, with the gaffer well accustomed to the academy from his own playing days, and from handling the Under-19s before taking the first-team gig. He favours a holistic approach, so will familiarise himself with all levels of the Eagles' organisation.

For that reason, some of the players on the periphery of the Premier League matchday squad will be able to prove their worth in front of their new boss.

Jonathan Williams - cheekily nicknamed "Joniesta" by fans in homage to Andres Iniesta - is a player of lush, natural technical ability, but has suffered serious ankle and shoulder injuries that have hampered his development. Now 23, this could be the midfielder's final opportunity to forge a top-flight career.

Keshi Anderson, Luke Dreher, and the exciting winger Sullay Kaikai could also be afforded a chance, and overlooked yet talented players being granted an exit - last summer's sold-off trio of Dwight Gayle, Mile Jedinak, and Alex McCarthy would've been helpful last season - will hopefully be a thing of the past.

He needs to prove a point - even if it's done ugly

When De Boer left Ajax in 2016, he was ready to test himself at a higher level. That's when, after Roberto Mancini's departure on the eve of the 2016-17 campaign, Inter Milan came calling.

Not granted a pre-season with an expensively assembled squad and amid the tumultuous setting of Inter, De Boer oversaw just four wins in 11 Serie A matches, and embarrassing losses to Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Sparta Prague in the Europa League.

After his sacking, he certainly has a point to prove.

One of the harsh criticisms of De Boer from his Ajax spell was that he was pragmatic in his approach. Belying his past representing the club and Barcelona, the 47-year-old didn't exactly employ free-flowing football as he tried to win at all costs.

It's not route-one to the extent of the man before him, Sam Allardyce, but De Boer can devise ways to exploit and frustrate, as well as express and entertain.

It's a results-based business, and Crystal Palace will need the points after becoming all-too-familiar with the bottom half of the table.

Dabbles in the transfer market

It was a busy day at Crystal Palace's Beckenham base as De Boer's unveiling was accompanied by the announcement of fresh sponsorship from ManBetX, an international gaming company.

While Asian investment is nothing new in English football, the multi-year deal to have the company's name emblazoned across the team's shirts has significantly boosted the club coffers.

Last summer, Crystal Palace spent unprecedented sums as it was boosted by the new Premier League television rights deal. Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend were scooped up, and through some late-January wheeler-dealer action from Allardyce, Mamadou Sakho's wages were covered in a loan spell.

Now, with that TV shrapnel supplemented by this welcome war chest, Palace can flex its muscles in the summer transfer window. The only business completed so far has been new contracts for Williams and Wilfried Zaha.

De Boer boasts an extensive list of associates from his glittering playing days and relatively young career in management, and so possesses the ability to bring some exciting names to Selhurst Park.

Could Kelechi Iheanacho - currently under the watch of former Barcelona teammate Pep Guardiola at Manchester City - be signed? Anderlecht's Kara Mbodji and Sunderland's Lamine Kone have been linked to the Eagles. Maybe Sakho's salary demands are now within reach.

Related - Premier League Transfer Tracker: Summer window

By adding someone of De Boer's pedigree, Crystal Palace supporters' hopes of entering an exciting new era may have some grounding.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images, unless stated otherwise)