To address the striker hunt, Crystal Palace ought to re-sign top hat trick scorer that Hodgson sold – Opinion

 

In January, Crystal Palace was looking for a new number nine, but it could be better to resign a player who was sold in 2020 this summer.

Oliver Glasner is probably going to rekindle Crystal Palace’s interest in acquiring a new number nine this summer, like they did in January.

Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal had been linked to Palace for weeks during the summer window, with the striker presumably at the top of the wishlist.

But now that Glasner is in charge, he might favour a striker who fits the mould of the style of play he wants to employ. This would make the perfect addition—a player Palace has already owned.

Roy Hodgson traded Alexander Sorloth in 2020 after he scored just one goal in 20 appearances. However, with a hat trick this past weekend at Villareal, he’s suddenly exhibiting indications that he would be the ideal pick for Palace. Here’s why.

Crystal Palace should look no further than Alexander Sorloth

 

Although Sorloth has already attended the club and eventually left, there are a number of important factors that make him a strong candidate to return.

To begin with, Sorloth only had the opportunity to play under Hodgson, which isn’t the best situation, as many strikers will attest.

His goal scoring record away from Palace indicates this. He scored 16 goals in 2022–2023 during his previous two seasons at Villareal, and he has already scored 11 this season, including a stunning hat-trick against Granada on Sunday afternoon.

While looking for a striker this summer, Glasner may prefer Sorloth’s expertise in Germany given that it’s unlikely Jean-Philippe Mateta is the right man for him.

Sorloth, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall, is ideally suited for the Premier League, so it wouldn’t be shocking if he returned and did an outstanding job.

Does Crystal Palace need to sign Sorloth once more?

Palace is in need of a striker, and they would be acquiring one in Sorloth who is eager to succeed in the world’s top league.

Though his first term was terrible, he has improved as a player since then, and with 116 goals in his career, his physical attributes and obvious finishing threat make him a great candidate to replace Mateta this summer.

He wouldn’t likely cost a significant sum of money, and Palace could sign him and bolster elsewhere, which would appeal to those making selections this summer.