As Crystal Palace appear destined for another season of mid-table obscurity in the Premier League, Steve Parish looks set to give the Eagles whatever is necessary to take them to the next level.
Ever since Wilfried Zaha’s departure from Selhurst Park, the Eagles have struggled to replace the Ivorian’s attacking influence. No Palace player has scored more than six league goals this season, with the south London outfit relying heavily on goals to come from midfield and wide areas.
Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise have been Palace’s standout performers this season, but have both faced injury problems and have struggled to get on the pitch. Jean-Philippe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard are the closest thing the Eagles have to a traditional number nine, though both have failed to impress during the campaign.
With this in mind, there is no wonder why signing a striker is at the top of Parish’s shopping list as he looks to back Oliver Glasner in the transfer market.
As first reported by Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Crystal Palace look set to put in a bid for Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah. The Eagles have been interested in signing the 24-year-old for some time, however, this news is the first mention of the south London outfit putting in an official bid ahead of the summer.
Nketiah has been on the radar of numerous Premier League clubs including Wolves and Brentford, with the Gunners reportedly setting a minimum price tag of £40m for the striker. In a modern game in which young strikers easily fetch north of £100m, signing Nketiah for the figure quoted could represent a major coup for whichever side lands him.
The Englishman has operated on the peripheries of the Gunners’ starting XI for much of his senior career, normally limited to appearances in the cup and brief cameos off the bench. Whilst this will have satisfied Nketiah in his early days, the 24-year-old is clearly now itching for regular first-team action.
In his limited appearances this season, the striker has managed to find some success, in particular a first career hat-trick in Arsenal’s 5-0 victory over Sheffield United back in October. Speaking after the game, ex-Palace and Arsenal striker Ian Wright was full of praise for Nketiah on Match of the Day, saying of his performance:
“I thought he was fantastic. I like it when he stays in and around the area, and he looked very sharp. The defenders were very poor but, at the same time, he was very sharp.”
“It’s about having composure and think that is what Eddie has got. He is very aggressive and I don’t think Luke Thomas was strong enough to deal with the mood Eddie was in.”
With Palace clearly in the market for a new number nine this summer, there would be few better options than snapping up an established Premier League talent like Nketiah.
Tom is a student at the University of Hull and has been a writer for Football FanCast since February 2024.
In his spare time Tom runs his own blog focused on his beloved Hull City, following his side around the country. Outside of football, he enjoys running and going to the gym.
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