Crystal Palace are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, with just one win and two draws from twelve matches.
Their main problem has been scoring goals, with just six scored in the league this term highlighting the clubs problems in attack.
Christian Benteke was out injured for several matches, and hasn’t found the net when he has played. Wilf Zaha is an exciting and talented player, but is more a winger than an out-and-out forward. Connor Wickham has been out injured for an entire year and is still a couple of months from regaining fitness. Freddie Ladapo isn’t good enough for the Premier League. Both Sulley Kaikai and Levi Lumeka are players with undoubted potential but are also more wingers than strikers.
Palace are red-hot betting favourites for the drop, with most bookmakers pricing them odds-on to go down.
So, manager Roy Hodgson must strengthen the squad considerably in January and needs to start with bringing in a striker or two.
Here, we list three strikers who could find themselves in the red and blue at Selhurst Park in January.
Khouma Babacer
It seems Palace are linked with a move for Babacer every transfer window, and the club may finally get their man in January if reports are to be believed.
The players’ agent has apparently met with club representatives in London, with a deal being discussed.
The Senegalese striker has netted 58 career goals from 184 matches, at a rate of a goal every 3.1 games, and would add much needed forward options to the team.
Islam Slimani
The 29-year-old Leicester City striker fits the profile of a Palace striker, with his physical presence and liking of balls being pumped into the box.
He has netted eleven goals in 38 games since joining Leicester for £28 million in August 2016, but has failed to cement his place in the team. Has been a bit-part player this term, and is reportedly unhappy at his lack of chances.
Would cost in excess of £20m and other clubs have shown an interest, but would be an extremely useful acquisition if Hodgson could persuade the Algerian to move to South-East London.
Dwight Gayle
This is a personal choice and a player I believe should never have been sold by Palace in the first place.
Many people have accused Gayle of being lazy, unmotivated, uninterested, and like a rabbit caught in the headlights at times.
At Palace, he was never given a chance to cement his place in the team and was always on the fringes of the first team. In fact, he completed 90 minutes just ten times in three seasons at Selhurst but still popped up with some vital goals.
He would be fantastic in a big man / little man strike partnership with Benteke, and would add a different dimension to the attack.
If given a regular chance, my belief is that he would be a great addition to the team.