Jeremie Boga has been fantastic for Sassuolo this season. (Getty Images)
According to Sky Sports, Crystal Palace are plotting a move for Sassuolo forward Jeremie Boga to strengthen their attack ahead of the new campaign.
The report suggests that the Italian outfit want in excess of £30m for the Ivorian but the Eagles could face competition to secure his services. Several clubs including Napoli, Atalanta, Rennes, and Bayer Leverkusen are also interested in sign Boga, as per the report.
Born in France, the Ivory Coast international began his journey with ASPTT Marseille before rising through the ranks of Chelsea’s youth system. However, he failed to break into the senior squad and spent most of his Chelsea career on loan spells.
He played for clubs like Rennes, Granada, and Birmingham City on loan before he joined Sassuolo in the summer of 2018. Though he struggled in his first season in Italy, the winger was one of the standout performers in Serie A last season, with 11 goals and 4 assists in 34 games.
The Eagles ended the last season on a disappointing note as they won just one of their last 9 games since the restart. And one of the chief reasons for their calamitous fall was the lack of consistency in front of goal. They managed to score just 31 goals in 38 games, which was the second-lowest in the league.
Forwards Jordan Ayew and Wilfried Zaha combined to score just 13 goals last season. Cenk Tosun was injured for the majority of the campaign and Christian Benteke managed to score only two goals. The Belgian is completely out of form and apart from that, the Eagles don’t have any recognized strikers.
Moreover, Zaha could exit from the club this summer, as per the report. And if that happens, the Eagles would fall short of quality up front. Thus, making a move for Boga seems to be sensible. The former Chelsea man has taken his game to the next level and has been one of the best players in Serie A last season.
He could be a valuable addition to Roy Hodgson’s squad next season if he is able to continue with the fine form. His inclusion would definitely add quality to the squad and he could be a perfect replacement for Zaha.
Boga has already made 215 career appearances despite being just 23 and has got experience under his belt, which could help him settle to the conditions of the Premier League.
With Zaha set to leave and limited options in the wide areas, it is clear that Palace are in dire need of wingers. And Boga could help them improve their goal tally. He could also go on to lead the Eagles’ attack in the future. Thus, they should manage to lure the Ivory Coast international to Selhurst Park at the earliest.
