If indeed one of Europe’s most prolific centre-forwards does have ‘ambitions of the Premier League’ amid interest from West Ham United, Fulham and Crystal Palace, then he’s certainly signed off in style.
OK, technically he didn’t win the Golden Boot outright.
But, with 29 goals in league action, he at least shared it. If there has ever been a case for them to create a golden pair of boots, then this season is it, and boots usually come in pairs after all.
HITC reported back in January that West Ham United, Fulham and Crystal Palace had been watching the progress of Vangelis Pavlidis closely. Progress that has continued into 2024, and even intensified once the prospect of joining Xavi Simons, Dusan Tadic, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Luis Suarez in the Eredivisie history books loomed into view.
West Ham and Crystal Palace have scouted Eredivisie star
Pavlidis scored in eight of his final ten league fixtures in 2023/24, ensuring he would end the campaign level with PSV Eindhoven captain Luuk de Jong at the top of the tree. In all competitions, the Greek international hit the net 33 times.
He is not all about goals either. A snake-hipped centre-forward silkier than silk itself, Pavlidis has always been a joy to watch at full flow, jinking his way through defensive lines and finding a pocket of space where there appeared to be none at all.
After adding a real ruthless streak to his game, however, Pavlidis looks better placed than ever to follow what former AZ Alkmaar coach Pascal Jansen calls his Premier League ‘ambitions’.
“It is difficult to describe exactly how I feel, but this award means so much to me,” an emotional Pavlidis tells Algemeen Dagblad, potentially signing off in quite some style at AZ.
“As a striker, you are born to score goals. If you can score so many in one season, that is very special. And that is also a great compliment to my team-mates, to whom I owe the fact that I am now the top scorer of the league.
“You never know in football, but it could be that this was my last (game) as an AZ player. It is certain that I have enormous respect for the club and for the fans. They have always been good to me, even today. That is fantastic to experience.”
Could Crystal Palace go for Vangelis Pavlidis?
West Ham surely cannot keep relying on Michail Antonio’s 34-year-old piano-wire hamstrings, a new centre-forward expected to be very high on the club’s wishlist once Julen Lopetegui replaces David Moyes at the helm.
HITC understands that West Ham, who remain keen on Lopetegui’s former Sevilla star Youssef En-Nesyri, could confirm the Spaniard’s arrival this week.
Whether Fulham or Crystal Palace may be tempted to renew their own interest in Pavlidis, however, is maybe more difficult to gauge. Rodrigo Muniz has been a revelation in 2024, while Raul Jimenez proved with that final day brace that he still has a lot to offer.
Palace, meanwhile, have one of the continent’s most in-form hitmen in Jean-Philippe Mateta.
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