Crystal Palace are set for a major overhaul this summer, with contracts of as many as 13 players expiring at the same time.
Roy Hodgson has already expressed his concerns over this matter. Patrick van Aanholt, Christian Benteke, Gary Cahill and Andros Townsend are some of the first-team players whose contracts will come to an end. So the need to renew, or sign fresh faces is imperative.
According to The Sun, Crystal Palace might look to sign Florian Thauvin in the summer, when he becomes a free agent. The French superstar is currently playing for Marseille in Ligue 1.
The Eagles see Thauvin as a key player as they try to rebuild their squad this summer. Palace returned to the Premier League in 2013, but since then they have finished in the top half of the table just once.
Can Florian Thauvin usher in a new era at Crystal Palace?
Florian Thauvin featured just two times last season for Marseille due to a long-term knee injury. But this season, he has made a strong comeback by finding the back of the net nine times and registering seven assists in 32 appearances for the French club so far.
Thauvin had a spell with Newcastle United previously in the English top-flight, but he had a forgettable season. He made 13 appearances for the club but didn’t score a goal or provide an assist.
Newcastle lost nine of the 13 games he featured in. It was a disastrous debut season in England for the attacker. Thus, the 28-year old might feel that he has some unfinished business in the Premier League.
3610. Florian THAUVIN
Winger – 26.01.93 – FRA (10/1)
Prem Debut:
17/08/2015 (Manchester United vs. NEWCASTLE UNITED, D 0-0 – sub 69 mins)Prem Clubs:
Newcastle United (15-16)Prem Apps: 13
Prem Goals: 0 pic.twitter.com/o8yDPs3aYZ— Premier League Players (@premlgeplayers) April 7, 2021
Thauvin is a great distributor of the ball and has the vision to create chances. He is good at set-pieces and can also dribble past defenders. No doubt that the player has the skills to excel at the club.
But, will he get the support that is desired by a creative player? That depends on who Crystal Palace recruit this summer. If so many players are allowed to leave, the Eagles will have to get new players on board. The quality of the incoming players will define Palace’s season next year.
Palace have become notorious for signing talented players but playing one-dimensional football under Hodgson. But, Thauvin can usher in a new era at Selhurst Park.
Signing Florian Thauvin won’t be an easy task for the Premier League club. Italian giants AC Milan are also interested in signing the Frenchman. AC Milan will also have European football on offer, so Palace will perhaps be the underdogs in the race to sign Thauvin.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored
