Crystal Palace reportedly contacted winger Bakary Sako to offer him a return to the Premier League and Selhurst Park. Now Wilfried Zaha is injured.
Over three months after leaving Crystal Palace, Bakary Sako is still without a club.
Some Palace fans would call that karma, after the winger rejected a new contract and left Selhurst Park on a free according to manager Roy Hodgson in Football London. And reports in France suggested that Sako could be on his way back to The Eagles in what would be a rather unexpected U-turn.
L’Equipe state that Crystal Palace contacted the 30-year-old to discuss a new contract and a fresh start on transfer deadline day. Though the window is now shut, Sako can still join given that he is a free-agent.
And Palace’s tepid 2-0 home defeat against Southampton on Saturday should make the decision to bring the former Wolves man back a little easier.
Since the beginning of last season, Roy Hodgson’s side have lost every one of their Premier League games when talisman winger Wilfried Zaha wasn’t available. That streak extended to eight against The Saints, with Palace lacking inspiration or cutting edge in the Ivorian’s injury-enforced absence.
The Sun reports that Zaha is facing a month on the sidelines with a groin issue – which will give fans and Hodgson himself sleepless nights.
Now, Sako is not a player of Zaha’s quality but he would provide some much needed back up out wide. He enjoyed a fantastic start to 2018 and finished last season with three goals in four league starts.
Sako recapturing that form could make Zaha’s absence easier to swallow.
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