Crystal Palace preparing to swoop for 23-year-old Bundesliga hit-man but club will only sell for ‘outrageous offer’ | OneFootball

It’s abundantly clear that Roy Hodgson needs to recruit another striker if Crystal Palace want to push on in the second half of the Premier League season.

That’s because Christian Benteke continues to disappoint in the centre-forward role.

Given his size, the Belgian should be bullying defenders and making his presence felt in the box, but he’s become far too easy to defend against.

A record of just three goals in 13 top-flight appearances this season, per The Independent, isn’t acceptable.

Michy Batshuayi, on loan from Chelsea, hasn’t solved the issue for the south London outfit either.

It’s perhaps with that in mind that Hodgson is looking at Bundesliga hit-man, Jean-Philippe Mateta, who, according to The Independent, has scored 10 goals in 17 games this season, despite his side, Mainz 05, sitting level on points with bottom club, Schalke.

However, the 23-year-old won’t come cheap.

“A forward who is fit again and has the perfect age is in demand despite the virus,” Mainz’s sporting director, Rouven Schroder, told Bild, cited by The Independent.

“If an outrageous offer comes in we would then need to sit down and discuss it. We rejected something last winter and in summer too.

With just under two weeks left of this winter’s transfer window, time is of the essence if Palace want to get the deal over the line.