Why Crystal Palace must pay £8million to sign Ollie Watkins from Brentford

According to a report by The Sun, Crystal Palace are interested in signing £8million-rated Ollie Watkins from Brentford this summer.

The talented 22-year-old made quite a name for himself in the Championship last season as he ripped defences apart with his swashbuckling displays on the left flank. It comes as no surprise that the Eagles are lurking and if a deal does work out, it goes without saying that this will be an excellent opportunity for Watkins.

Over the course of the previous campaign, Watkins smashed 11 goals and provided 4 assists in 48 appearances across competitions. The player is quite versatile as well, having played on the left-wing, left midfield, as a striker and even on the right wing.

A player of his calibre truly does belong in the Premier League and the Eagles must stump up £8million for his services. After all, in today’s inflated market, paying £8million for a player like Watkins is nothing short of a coup.

As far as Crystal Palace are concerned, they enjoyed a decent run in the Premier League last season. They initially started out on a terrible note under Frank De Boer and were teetering dangerously close to the relegation zone as well.

However, in swooped Roy Hodgson and he saved the Eagles from making the drop. In fact, he helped them finish 11th as well, which is quite a feat considering the poor condition they were in. However, ahead of the new term, Hodgson must bring in solid reinforcements.

With newly-promoted clubs like Fulham purchasing Jean-Michael Seri and Wolverhampton Wanderers assembling a squad filled with impeccable talents, Palace must not be left behind.

The new campaign will be quite a tough road the Eagles but if they are to retain their top-flight status, they must sign Watkins. With Bakary Sako released and question marks surrounding Andros Townsend’s future, the need for a new winger is quite apparent.

Since arriving at Griffin Park from Exeter City ahead of the 2017/18 campaign, Watkins has put in some fine performances.

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It will take him some time to get adjusted to the rigours and demands of the Premier League but with a manager like Hodgson in charge, the youngster will develop and improve further. He is far from the finished product right now but moving to Palace will take his career in a new direction.