Cheick Diabate had a huge impact when joining Ligue 1 side Metz on loan last season but can he do the same at Crystal Palace?
Metz were in real trouble when Cheick Diabate rocked up on loan from Osmanlispor on January 1 2017.
The Maroons were mired in the relegation zone and among the lowest scorers in France’s Ligue 1, but Diabate did not wait around to change that.
The Malian did not manage a single goal in eight Turkish Super Lig appearances for Osmanlispor but it is fair to say he found them far easier to come by in France. Two goals on his debut inspired a victory over Montpellier and set the tone for a prolific run of form that eventually tallied at eight strikes in 14 games.
By the time Diabate’s loan spell ended in May, Metz were 14th in the table and seven points clear of Lorient in the dreaded relegation play-off spot.
Therefore, it does not take a genius to work out why The Sun are reporting that Crystal Palace are considering offering a deal to the 29-year-old free-agent after his summer release by the Turkish club.
Palace are the first side in Premier League history to fail to score in any of their first six games of a new season and news that star striker Christian Benteke will be out for six weeks with a knee injury must have Roy Hodgson wondering what he has let himself in for.
Palace, as it stands, are bottom of the Premier League table without a point to their name and the fact that they are consulting the free-agent market less than a month after the transfer window shut does not reflect well on their summer recruitment.
Yet, unlike Carlton Cole and Rickie Lambert, Diabate appears to still have the ability to score regularly at a high level and his survival-securing exploits at Metz will have Palace fans hoping that he could be their lucky charm.
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