Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
The criticism that followed Crystal Palace last season is one that has been thrown at them this and that’s the fact there is a definite shortagevof goals in their side.
Alan Pardew may have bought in new faces this Summer but they are still very much lacking a striker who consistently knows his way around the 6 yard box. Last season saw the good which was their form early in the season which saw them as high as 6th, the bad which was their form post Christmas and the ugly which was Alan Pardew’s dancing at Wembley.
If Palace are to beat the drop and not replicate that terrible run of form in 2016 then getting in a striker brgore the end of the month has to be the top priority for Pardew.
Here are three players that could be wearing a Palace shirt by the start of September.
Christian Benteke
The £32.5m man was nowhere to been scene on Sunday at The Emirates as Liverpool got the better of a 7 goal thriller against Arsenal. This should surely indicate that Benteke’s time at Anfield is coming to an end.
The question Liverpool will have to ask them is how much are they prepared to lose on their investment. Bought by Brendan Rodgers just over 12 months ago it’s clear to see that a player of Benteke’s mould doesn’t fit into a Jurgen Klopp team. A square peg in a round hole if ever there was one.
Luckily for Liverpool though with the transfer market being the way it is as if late they will probably manage to recoup all the fee they paid Aston Villa should they decide to move Benteke on.
What will also go in Liverpool’s favour is the fact that Palace are getting somewhat desperation and with desperation brings an increase in price. Liverpool want to sell and Palace also have the funds but it seems they can’t quite meet the valuation for Benteke which would allow him to leave Merseyside. Should Alan Pardew come in with an approved offer the move could very much be on.
Saido Berahino
Crystal Palace are now joining an ever existing band of Premier League clubs who are interested in acquiring the services of the England Under 21 international. Berahino was in the starting line up on Saturday playing off of Salomon Rondon when West Brom travelled to Selhurst Park and it was Rondon who scored the games only goal to give Tony Pulis a triumphant return to South London.
Last season with his future at the club in doubt Berahino had to make do with a life more accustomed to the West Brom bench, although he was in the lineup in their opener should Pulis bring in another new face up front then it could very well marginalise Berahino’s role at the club even further and that is where Palace could step in and offer him the lifeline of first team football.
Although Berahino now must be ruing the fact that he wasn’t allowed to move to Tottenham last Summer, how his stock has fallen in those 12 months or so. He needs to be back playing regularly and scoring goals or the potential he once showed is in danger of fizzling out.
Diafra Sahko
Had Sahko’s move from West Ham to West Brom not collapsed due to a failed medical then that very well could have been the man to allow to Berahino to depart The Hawthorns. With not that being the case Crystal Palace could do worse then buying the Senegalese striker themselves.
At £16m he may not represent fantastic value but Palace can’t afford to be too choosy in their bid to snare a new forward before the end of the month. It could also be an easy sell as Sahko would only have to make the short trip over London to link up with Alan Pardew.
The thing that could very much go against Sahko and any potential transfer is the aforementioned failed medical, but if Palace are prepared to take a punt then it could be something that they could use in their favour by potentially driving the price down.
West Ham know they have somewhat of a lame duck on their books now, not only is it a player who isn’t Slaven Bilic’s plans but also one potentially lacking fitness so they may have to reconsider the fee of £16m if he is to leave the Olympic Stadium and Palace could benefit although it would be somewhat of a gamble and one that Alan Pardew would really need to pay off.
