Crystal Palace managed to hold Brighton and Hove Albion to a draw which earned them their sixth point in the last five games. They are now just three points off safety and have a great chance of moving out of the relegation zone, before the turn of the year. Roy Hodgson will definitely hope so and is already busy in trying to improve the squad in the January transfer window.
Christian Benteke was back in action earlier in the week but the Belgian remains the only quality striker at the manager’s disposal, with Bakary Sako his only other option. So it does not come as a surprise that the Eagles are linked with a number of strikers, for a move in January and one name now doing the rounds is Benik Afobe.
Having joined Bournemouth in January 2016 in a £10m (+ add-ons) deal from Wolves, Afobe has always been a backup striker in the top flight, making just 18 starts, picking up six goals and three assists in the league, none coming this season.
Eddie Howe preferred Joshua King and Calum Wilson over Afobe and decided to add Jermain Defoe to his squad in the summer, pushing Afobe further down the pecking order. This has seen him get just five starts this season, which have been unproductive and the Cherries will be more than happy to sell him, if reports that claim Palace are ready to make a £15m bid for him in January, are true.
The 24-year old recently made his international debut 55 top-flight appearances in England. A robust striker, who loves to make a nuisance of himself in the final third, Afobe is a decent finisher, with a keen eye for goal.
His energy and running allow him to pick up dangerous positions and most his goals come his ability to play on the shoulder of the final defender. He is pretty smart in his hold up play and is dangerous in the air and his experience in England is what has attracted the Palace manager.
The likes of Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend are sure to provide the strikers at the Selhurst Park with constant, threatening balls and it is important that Palace find a player who can make maximum use of these chances. Benteke is a decent striker but Afobe can add a different dimension to the game, which can allow the manager to set his team up differently.
At £15m, he may not be the wisest of investments but with not much quality available mid-way through the season, Bournemouth’s fourth-choice striker might not be a bad addition to Hodgson’s squad.
