Newly promoted Cardiff are reportedly looking at West Brom’s Salomon Rondon – but could the striker be the competition for Benteke that Crystal Palace need?
Cardiff have reportedly celebrated their promotion to the Premier League by opening negotiations with West Bromwich Albion for Salomon Rondon, according to the Daily Mail, and a bid of £12.5 million should catch the attention of Crystal Palace.
The incredible resurgence of Palace under Roy Hodgson has earned plaudits from all corners and to have done so despite the woefully misfiring Christian Benteke makes it all the more impressive.
This isn’t a side that has been propped up by the goals of their record signing – quite the opposite, in fact, as the Belgian has struggled to just two this season.
Benteke is not someone who should be entirely written off, however – his record over the years prove that – and Palace should expect to get far more out of him as they continue to build next year.
But that isn’t to say they should throw all of their eggs into that basket, especially when a similar striker with bags of experience is available on the cheap.
Rondon plays a similar game to Benteke, albeit without the same record, and his seven goals this year for a relegated side should not be sniffed at.
The target man would be an excellent insurance policy in case Benteke simply doesn’t pick things up and it’s easy to see the Venezuelan as an ideal balance for the pacy wingers in Zaha and Townsend that make their attack click.
Potentially available for £12.5 million, it’s hard to go wrong.
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