Crystal Palace are reportedly plotting a swoop for Marseille striker Bamba Dieng this month and the Senegal international could be the man to revive Patrick Vieira's side and solve the Eagles' goalscoring woes.
According to 90min, Crystal Palace, Leeds United, West Ham, Leicester and Everton are all keeping tabs on the 22-year-old forward, although Marseille are keen to tie him down to a new deal at the Stade Vélodrome.
Dieng was extremely close to signing for Leeds United during the summer for a fee of £8.6m but changed his mind at the airport and opted to sign for Nice, only to fail his medical with the Ligue 1 side, meaning he would remain with Marseille.
Reviving Palace
Palace have struggled for goals in the top flight so far this campaign, averaging exactly one a game, with Vieira's side once again reliant on Wilfried Zaha as the main source of attacking threat at Selhurst Park.
The Ivorian winger has six goals to his name in the Premier League but when he completes his expected move away from the club at the end of the season when his contract expires, Palace could find themselves in real trouble.
Odsonne Edouard, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew have all struggled to find the net on a regular basis, boasting just five league goals between them, so it seems clear that Vieira needs some added firepower if he is going to ensure that the Eagles are looking up, rather than over their shoulder at the relegation places this season.
Indeed, the London outfit have struggled of late, winning just one of their last six in all competitions, meaning a rescue act is certainly in order.
Dieng may only have one goal and one start to his name in Ligue 1 this season but his attempted move away was always going to scupper his first-team opportunities and his seven goals in 2021/22 suggests that he could be a hit in the Premier League, lifting Palace to bigger heights.
The young forward also hit the target for Senegal in the World Cup in Qatar, with a finish in a 3-1 win against the hosts that was described as “clinical” by BBC pundit Stephen Warnock.
WhoScored suggests that the young forward excels at finishing and playing key passes so there seems no reason why he can't be a dangerous player for Vieira to have at Palace in the second half of the campaign.