Crystal Palace Opinion: Eagles should sign Benjamin Bourigeaud next summer
Crystal Palace have endured an up and down campaign in the Premier League this season.
They struggled to score goals consistently at the start of the season and it looked as if the Eagles were set to face a long and hard fight for relegation but Roy Hodgson has once again proved what a wonderful manager he can be for any mid-table side in the Premier League.
It is largely due to the 71-year-old’s understanding of the game and managerial acumen that Palace currently find themselves 14th in the standings, five points clear of the relegation zone and set for a respectable mid-table finish.
Lack of creativity has been one of the major talking points at Selhurst Park this season, with the lack of a proper creative midfielder leaving the likes of Wilfred Zaha and Andros Townsend to cut isolated and frustrated figures up front.
The acquisition of the talented Max Meyer as a free-agent last summer was seen as a massive coup but the German has struggled to cope with the physical nature of the Premier League.
James McArthur has been a standout figure for the Eagles, with the veteran providing much of the creativity with his tireless work-rate.
Cheikhou Kouyate, Luka Milivojevic and Jeffrey Schlupp have all thrived in Palace’s midfield three but they still need to bring in a dynamic midfielder who can bring in a bit more creativity to the team.
To put things into perspective, Crystal Palace need to look no further beyond Rennes ace Benjamin Bourigeaud to solve their lack of creativity in the midfield.
The 25-year-old Frenchman has been a standout performer for Rennes in Ligue 1 and has helped his team to a position of strength in the top half.
Deemed as a versatile midfielder, Bourigeaud has played in virtually every position in the midfield and has contributed with 8 goals and 8 assists from 40 appearances across all competitions.
He started off as a central midfielder last season but he has played right-midfield, left-midfield, defensive midfield and also as a central attacking midfielder behind the striker this season.
The Frenchman has a good technique which allows him to run comfortably with the ball at his feet. He is also adept at retaining possession and holding onto to the ball, linking up with his teammates and keeping things ticking in the middle of the park with his impressive range of passing.
The 25-year-old excels with his ability to cut out attacks with crucial tackles and interceptions, whilst his deliveries from crosses and set-pieces are also of the highest quality. Bourigeaud gets the right dip, swirl and elevation on his crosses and is never afraid to put his foot through the ball.
Bourigeaud’s creativity and vision coupled with his well-rounded attacking and defensive qualities should make him a perfect fit for Crystal Palace. Moreover, he has the ability to play in multiple positions, which should be an added bonus for Hodgson’s preferred 4-3-3 system.
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Palace need to bolster their squad with some quality players next summer to challenge for top-ten finish and Benjamin Bourigeaud should definitely be an ideal choice for the Eagles.
