Could Hodgson favourite Lambert be given a chance at Crystal Palace?

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Roy Hodgson is in the market for a striker available on a free transfer – could Rickie Lambert therefore soon be in a Crystal Palace shirt?

Christian Benteke of Crystal Palace leaves the pitch with medical staffs during the Premier League match against Manchester City.

Crystal Palace are considering signing a free agent striker, reports the Evening Standard, with Christian Benteke having suffered a knee injury during the 5-0 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend.

Benteke left the Etihad Stadium on crutches and will definitely miss Saturday’s (September 30) Premier League clash with Manchester United, but fears are the ligaments could be damaged and therefore it could mean an extended spell on the sidelines for the 26-year-old.

Roy Hodgson, manager of Crystal Palace, looks on during the Premier League match against Manchester City.

With Connor Wickham also out with a knee problem it leaves manager Roy Hodgson with no fit recognised first team centre forwards, but with the transfer window closed the 70-year-old’s options are limited.

However, with one space remaining in his 25-man squad for the English top tier, Hodgson could potentially dip into the free market to try and find someone to lead the line.

Rickie Lambert of Cardiff City looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match against Burton Albion.

Options are predictably limited, with Carlton Cole’s name being mooted despite the fact the 33-year-old has not played in the division since leaving West Ham United (for a second time) in the summer of 2015.

Another potential candidate is Rickie Lambert, who has been without a club since being released by Cardiff City at the end of last season following a difficult time in Wales.

In fact Lambert has not really shown any sort of reliable scoring form since leaving Southampton for Liverpool in 2014, a club for whom the 35-year-old had an impressive goal-every-other-game record with 115 strikes in 230 appearances.

Hodgson is also a fan of the veteran, having handed him his England debut back in August, 2013 and giving the attacker 11 caps in total during his time as Three Lions boss.