Not good enough for Manchester United or relegated Newcastle United, French flop Gabriel Obertan has been linked with a move to Crystal Palace.
Obertan endured a miserable seven year spell in England where he made just 72 appearances, mostly as a substitute, for the Red Devils and the Magpies with just two goals to his name.
His time in the Premier League ended with Newcastle’s relegation from the top flight last season and he left for Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala on a two-year deal.
Gabriel Obertan in his Newcastle days
Obertan’s time in Russia has followed a similar pattern, though, with a mixture of injury and lack of form restricting him to just eight appearances this season.
Now the 27-year-old is being linked with a shock return to England with struggling Palace, who have slipped into the relegation zone since sacking Obertan’s former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew.
Palace are 18th in the table and without a league win in nearly two months stretching back to December 3rd.
Obertan endured a miserable seven-year spell in England
Despite spending big in the summer on arrivals such as Christian Benteke, Andros Townsend and James Tomkins the South Londoners have struggled with just 16 points from 22 games.
Jeffrey Schlupp has been signed for more than £13m this January and now France Football claims Sam Allardyce is “lining up” a move for winger Obertan with Anzhi keen to shed players amid financial difficulties.
The report says the Eagles have made an enquiry for the ex-Bordeaux winger and face competition from Turkish side Bursaspor and Greek giants AEK Athens.
The player would surely favour a return to the Premier League but given his track record here is he really the kind of player Palace need to lift themselves out of the mire, particularly with Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha already occupying the two wide positions.
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