Crystal Palace Can Consider Signing One Of These Players If They Fail To Hold On To Sakho Permanently
Mamadou Sakho has had a renaissance after having moved on loan to Crystal Palace from Liverpool in the winter transfer window.
The Frenchman was forced out of the first-team picture with the Merseysiders, after a fall-out with manager Jurgen Klopp and hadn’t played first-team football in over 6 months time before the Eagles swooped in for his temporary signature. Since then, he has starred for Sam Allardyce’s side, having helped them to 15 points in 6 games, with crucial wins over top clubs Chelsea and Arsenal.
With Palace looking at a permanent move for the former PSG man, who has proved he can cut it in the Premier League, it is reported that Liverpool will be asking for a price in the range of £30 million, which could make things complicated. And then, there is also an outside chance of the Reds may making a U-turn in the summer and deciding to keep Sakho in the squad to help ease their defensive woes.
If, for any reason, Palace miss out on his signature, or are priced out of a move in the summer, here are two alternatives for the London-based outfit to consider in the summer window.
Harry Maguire
The 24-year old has caught the eyes of many Premier League sides this season with his performances for Hull City, especially in the second half of the season.
Maguire, in the absence of Curtis Davies, emerged as the leader of the backline for the Tigers. His confidence on the ball is something that has been a stand-out feature of his game. His impressive defensive awareness, combined with his ability to dribble the ball out and venture forward, and his physicality, makes him an all-round player who could add a lot to the squad.
At 24, the Englishman is yet to peak and with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2018, Hull will be under pressure to sell him or to lose him for free, especially so if they get relegated. As a result, Palace could get their hands on him for a much cheaper price than Sakho, thus making him an attractive prospect.
Martin Hinteregger
Touted as one of the brightest hopes of Austrian football, the 24-year-old joined German side Augsburg as a replacement for Ragnar Klavan who moved to Liverpool in the summer.
Hinteregger, a left-footed centre-half, had impressed heavily during his time for RB Salzburg in Austria and has gone on in a similar way for his new club as well. In his 26 appearances so far this season, the Austrian has scored twice and has been fairly solid, despite Augsburg’s struggles in the German top division. His reading of the game is top notch and this allows him to make smart interceptions in dangerous areas.
He is just 24 years of age and has shown signs of growing into a fine centre-back in the near future. His contract is set to expire in a year and with Augsburg facing a struggle to stay in Bundesliga at the end of the season, Hinteregger could be available at a bargain price and Palace would benefit heavily by capitalizing on the situation.
Comments are closed.