Florinel Coman (Image credit: Google)
As per reports in Romania (h/t The Sun), Crystal Palace are interested in signing FCSB youngster Florinel Coman to bolster their attack.
The report also suggests that Palace have offered £11m for the Romanian and his representatives are in talks with the club to secure a deal. The youngster has also been compared to French hotshot Kylian Mbappe by former Romanian star Gheorghe Hagi.
Born in Romania, Coman started his journey with Luceafarul Braila in his hometown before joining the Gheorghe Hagi Football Academy in 2011. He then made 47 appearances for Viitorul Constanta before making the jump to FCSB in August 2017. Since then he has been a regular member of the squad and has made 108 appearances for the club so far.
While at Viitorul Constanta, he was a part of the club that won the Romanian League title and he was also crucial in helping FCSB win the Romanian Cup in the 2019/20 season. The youngster has been in sensational form and has also made 3 appearances for his country since making his debut in October 2019.
Roy Hodgson’s side were dismal since the restart. Palace won just one of their last 9 games, losing 7 of them as they finished in the 14th position in the league standings. And the chief reason for their abysmal end to the campaign was the lack of consistency in front of goal.
The Eagles managed to score just 31 goals in 38 games, which is the second-worst record in the league this season. Thus, it is clear that the manager needs to strengthen the attacking unit ahead of the next season. One key area where Hodgson should focus on strengthening is the wide areas.
Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend are the only two wingers in the squad. However, the Ivorian has been linked with a move away from the club and his departure could leave them with limited options up front. Daily Mail suggests that Palace are also looking to offload Christian Benteke, who has failed miserably.
Thus, to strengthen their attack, making a move for Coman would be a wise decision by the club. The Romania international was in sensational form in the 2019/20 campaign, scoring 15 goals and providing 11 assists in 40 games across all competitions. And could be seen as a future replacement for Zaha on the left side of the attack.
The 22-year-old is also capable of operating from the right while he is also accustomed to playing through the middle. He has already shown immense potential and if he is able to replicate the same form, he could go on to lead Palace’s attack in the future.
With Zaha set to leave, it is clear that Palace are in dire need of wingers to bolster their attack. And Coman would definitely bring in his quality. Thus, they should manage to lure the Romanian to Selhurst Park this summer.
