Crystal Palace are plotting for attacking reinforcements this summer and should now move for Adama Traore.
Middlesbrough’s speedy forward Adama Traore has had his asking price cut from £30 million to £15 million, according to a report from the Yorkshire Evening Post, and Crystal Palace should really be looking to land his signature this summer for that price.
The Eagles flirted with relegation early last term under the win-less tenure of Frank de Boer, but Roy Hodgson – with huge help from the returning Wilfried Zaha – found a winning formula and finished impressively in 11th.
There is no doubting that Zaha’s return was pivotal in Palace’s mid-season resurgence, which highlights the need for quality attacking additions in the summer, and the former Barcelona man certainly belongs in that bracket.
Despite Traore’s inconsistencies, the 22-year-old possesses a frightening combination of speed and power and, with the right guidance, he could become a superstar in the future. His quality and lofty potential certainly do not belong at Championship level, where he currently resides with Boro.
Traore would likely jump at the chance to rejoin the ranks of a Premier League side and he would be very well suited to Roy Hodgson’s team.
Focusing on counter-attacking football, Palace get the ball out wide to the danger men in Zaha and Andros Townsend as quickly as possible to allow them space and time to craft unpredictable attacks. And if there is one thing Traore offers in abundance, it is unpredictability.
The prospect of Zaha and Traore spearheading Palace’s attack is a seriously frightening prospect for any Premier League defence and the Eagles need depth to ensure a future injury to the Ivorian international does not decide their season.
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