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As reported by Sky Sports, Cardiff had originally agreed a fee with Nantes for in-form striker Emiliano Nantes, only for the Ligue 1 club to up the price and leave Neil Warnock disinterested. However, Crystal Palace should take advantage of this situation and hijack the negotiations...

What's the word, then?

If anyone in the Premier League is in desperate need of a striker, it is the Eagles. Palace fans haven't seen a recognised striker score a goal from open play for them in almost a year now, since Christian Benteke's headed effort against West Ham last January.

Those in the pecking order along with the Belgian striker are also hugely ineffective at this level and haven't scored a goal between them for Palace in the Premier League this season - Alexander Sorloth, Jordan Ayew and the injury-stricken Connor Wickham are all failing to deliver the goods.

Roy Hodgson has kept his side with their heads above water thanks to the efforts of traditional wingers Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend playing as makeshift strikers, but that is by no means a sustainable solution to the problem.

Why should they go for Sala?

The Argentinian striker has been one of Europe's most prolific strikers so far in the current campaign. 28-year-old Sala has bagged 12 goals in 14 Ligue 1 starts for Nantes, whilst also recording two assists.

In what seems to be the ideal fit for Palace's system, 6' 1" Sala is a physical, tall powerhouse of a forward who also has decent feet, good technique and can score goals with his head.

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The aforementioned report by Sky Sports suggests that the French side have upped the price to around £20m, which is too much for Cardiff and is probably too much for Palace to want to spend on a 28-year-old.

There must've been a reason why they went back on their word with the Bluebirds, however, so perhaps a bit of shrewd negotiating from Steve Parish could get the Ligue 1 side to settle on their original valuation with a few add-ons slipped in there.