Crystal Palace have helped themselves out of trouble, thanks to the turnaround Roy Hodgson, the new manager, has overseen, in the last couple of months. The January transfer window will now give the former English manager to add reinforcements and one position he is desperate to improve on his the striker’s position.
The Eagles are ready to spend big on a player who can solve their goal-scoring woes, for years to come and one player they are now desperate for is Celtic star Moussa Dembele.
Transfer story
The French youngster is one of the most consistent goal scorers in Europe for more than a year now and has been a transfer target for some of the biggest clubs in England. And according to reports from The Sun, Crystal Palace are the latest club to have joined the race for his signature.
The likes of Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion are also interested in Dembele’s signature, who could cost around £20m. The Scottish outfit will be ready to sell at that price but is he the right man for Palace?
Style of play and numbers
A striker with incredible work rate and sensational consistency in front of goal, Dembele is an excellent finisher, with a unique eye for goal. He is a natural goal scorer and does not need too much space or time on the ball in the final third, to find the back of the net.
He is a willing runner, never giving up even on lost causes and loves to play on the shoulder of the defenders. He is smart with his movements around the box and is devastating inside it. He is decent in the air as well but needs to work on his hold up play, which is important if he wants to move to England.
He has a certain spark with the ball at his feet, a spark that has helped Brendan Rodgers’ side for a couple of years now. He has scored 40 goals and provided 12 assists in 70 appearances for the Glasgow giants in all competitions and also has seven goals in 10 games for the French U21 national side.
He is knocking on the door of the senior French side and is a player who will definitely turn into one of the best strikers in Europe.
Can he excel in the Premier League?
Dembele had a spell with Fulham, where he made 56 appearances for the senior side in the Championship. He scored 15 goals in that stint in England and already has an idea of how difficult it will be.
He has most attributes that can make him a hit in the Premier League and at just 21, will only get better. With the World Cup coming up this year, Dembele wants to showcase his talent at the highest stage and a move to Selhurst Park will not be a bad one for the striker.
The Eagles are currently struggling in front of goal, with Belgian ace Christian Benteke failing to find any consistency in the final third. Bakary Sako is the only other option to the lead the line for Hodgson, who has used the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend in this role.
Dembele not only solves this problem but will also add a different dimension to their attack, which could make all the difference in crunch games. Dembele may even walk into the first team, over Benteke but do you think he can help Palace to a better finish in the league table?
