Crystal Palace are certainly one of the relegation battlers going into the climax end of this season in the English Premier League. They haven’t been consistent nor commendable and are squandering helpless in the relegation zone and Sam Allardyce has a daunting task ahead of him to save their blushes.
The January transfer window hasn’t gone too well so far either, with their latest fallout with Arsenal’s right-back, Carl Jenkinson, in personal talks to facilitate a move and no wonder why Big Sam appears to be a worried man.
Amidst the chaos hovering over the Selhurst Park, it is the former England manager who needs to pull out something spectacular out of his hat this month more than anyone else. The defence has been a major cause of concern for the Eagles this term. To bolster the team, Big Sam is apparently in contact with Crystal Palace’s local rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, over a potential move for Ben Davies. However, an initial bid of £10 million has already been rejected by Mauricio Pochettino, and the Lilywhites have slapped a huge price tag of £20 million around the collar of their left-back.
An appropriate question does arise as to whether Davies is worth the sum that he has been valued at. First and foremost, it has to be underlined that the winter transfer window is notoriously infamous for its inflationary characteristics. This window is more of a last resort kind of market where the selling team has the upper hand in the transaction. Danny Rose is Pochettino’s first choice left-back, but considering the busy schedule ahead of him, it is justifiable on his part to deter Crystal Palace’s interest.
However, it is public knowledge that the Eagles do need a prominent left-back and they would strike gold if they could lay their hands on Davies. The 23-year-old is a versatile defender who can ply his trade at the heart of defence as well. He is adventurous, tactically sound and loves surging forward to lash at his opponents. He creates chances, never refrains from going forward and meets his defensive duties with perfection as well.
In the Welsh international, Allardyce can have someone who can not only be a short term remedy only but one for the future as well. He is undoubtedly a fine left-back and considering his age and potential, £20 million isn’t a sky-high price. Davies can solve the long-standing issue of Crystal Palace of having a high calibre full-back and Allardyce must not refrain from negotiating the right price for him.
