Why Gary Cahill can help Crystal Palace reinforce their side in the summer
The Sun has revealed that Premier League side Crystal Palace will re-enter the race for Chelsea star Gary Cahill in the summer, once the 33-year old’s contract expires with the club. Gary Cahill has less than six months left on his deal with Chelsea and there is little chance of the club extending that at the moment, with the former English international linked with a move away.
The likes of Arsenal, Fulham, Monaco and even Juventus were interested in signing Gary Cahill over the January transfer window, but nothing materialised. Now with the 33-year old’s contract expiring, for Crystal Palace, the move makes a lot of sense, especially given the state of their defence. At the moment, if anything, the Eagles are missing a centre-back who can lead the side in times of adversity, which is exactly what Cahill offers.
While there is no doubting his ability on the ball, Cahill’s pedigree of winning two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and one Champions League trophy will come in handy for Palace. A crucial part of Chelsea’s backline for some years now, Cahill was an immovable force in his prime and while he is 33 years old, the Englishman still has got a lot to offer.
However, while he won’t be a long-term option for Crystal Palace, adding Cahill will certainly help them concede fewer goals and buy them some time to look for a long-term replacement. The 33-year old’s experience alone makes him worth the move, with Cahill playing nearly 350 games in the Premier League alone.
For Crystal Palace, given their war-chest and the state of their club, finding someone who has played as many Premier League games as Cahill has will be very hard. Not to mention, it would be well over their reach and thus it makes the former England international a must have.
The Eagles are trying to convince Wilfried Zaha to stay, so that they can effectively build a team around the 26-year-old forward, but to do that they will first need to solidify their defence. Therefore, bringing in someone of Gary Cahill’s calibre and experience will be massive for Roy Hodgson’s Palace ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
