Total Football: How Frank de Boer's attacking philosophy can teach Crystal Palace to play like Barcelona and Ajax

Crystal Palace embark on a new era with a manager who was brought up with the football philosophy of Ajax and Barcelona.

The appointment of Frank de Boer represents a departure from the uncompromising style of play of Sam Allardyce and a clear move to a more attacking style.

Allardyce saved Palace from relegation last season with more defensive and organised methods.

De Boer - brought up at Ajax, a club built by on the philosophy of Johan Cruyff - has a different vision of how the game should be played.

He favours a more possession-based, free-flowing, attacking approach.

Palace chairman Steve Parish has been carefully weighing up the direction Palace go in terms of the football they play.

Parish admitted in January that the move to a more expansive style did not work under Alan Pardew and a sound defensive base was key to keeping them up last season.

But De Boer impressed Parish with his vision for Palace are confident they can have success by reverting to a more attacking approach.

De Boer also played for Barcelona his brother Ronald last week gave some indication of the style of play Palace fans can expect.

“We were brought up with the philosophy of Ajax and Barcelona, so you can expect a similar style of ball possession but creative because football is entertainment, of course,” he said.

“But it also has to combine with results. Of course, he knows that this is very important. You will see a team that is well organised and playing as a team.”

De Boer has been considering his next move carefully since a nightmare spell at Inter Milan ended last November and he sees Palace as the right place to rebuild his reputation.

The 47-year-old was wanted by Club Brugge but has always been interested in working in England. He was linked with the Tottenham and Liverpool jobs in the past but sees Palace as an exciting challenge.

He will have money to spend this summer but he will have to be shrewd in the transfer market.

Palace spent more than £40million in January on Luka Milivojevic, Patrick van Aanholt and Jeffrey Schlupp, all of whom played a big part in retaining their Premier League status under Allardyce, and De Boer will have less funds available as a result.

His appointment, however, means Palace can now press ahead with transfer plans.

De Boer had an impressive reputation of working with younger players during his time at Ajax and will look to bring down the average age of a squad that finished 14th last season.

He helped Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld flourish when they were youngsters at Ajax and Palace hope Wilfried Zaha will continue to improve under him.

De Boer becomes Palace’s first foreign appointment as manager, although Attilio Lombardo and Tomas Brolin did have a period in caretaker charge in 1998.

Parish has wanted to appoint a manager who will stay at Selhurst Park long enough to build the club and he sees De Boer as that man.

Palace made De Boer, who won 112 caps for Holland as a player and was a Champions League winner with Ajax in 1995, their preferred option after a lengthy interview process.

Palace also spoke to Mauricio Pellegrino, who was appointed as Southampton manager at the weekend, but Parish, who has been on holiday in the Mediterranean, went for De Boer.

The first-team squad are due back for pre-season training on July 2 and kick off the new season at home against Huddersfield Town on August 12.