Ollie Watkins has established himself as a key figure at Brentford (Getty Images)
According to Evening Standard, Crystal Palace are tracking the progress of Brentford star Ollie Watkins in search of a new striker to lead their attack next season.
Having flourished through the ranks of Exeter City’s youth ranks, Watkins, 24, impressed in his debut season with the club’s senior set-up. He scored 13 goals in 45 League Two games in the 2016/17 season before making the jump to Brentford in the Championship. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and is one of the best forwards in the second-tier.
The English forward has been in sensational form for Brentford this season despite failing to push his team through the automatic promotion to the top-flight. The English striker’s impressive performances in the Championship earned him rave reviews and he has attracted a lot of interest.
One of the chief reasons for Crystal Palace’s mediocre 14th-placed finish is the lack of consistency in front of goal. The Eagles have managed to score just 30 goals in 37 games so far which is the second-lowest in the league. Only Norwich City have scored fewer than Hodgson’s men.
Summer signing Jordan Ayew has done well from the left side of the attack but failed to deliver whenever he was moved to the middle. With just 9 goals in 36 games, he is the club’s leading goal scorer this season. While Wilfried Zaha has netted just 4 goals, Benteke’s struggles have continued. And thus, bringing in an in-form striker could Palace’s goalscoring woes.
To that end, making a move for Watkins seems to be sensible. The 24-year-old scored 10 goals in each of the last two league campaigns and has taken his game to the next level. This term, he has been one of the best strikers, scoring 25 goals in 46 games and ending up as the second-highest goalscorer in the Championship, with one goal less than Aleksandar Mitrovic.
His growth to the top has been steady and could be seen as s future leader in the attack at Selhurst Park. He has the ability to succeed in the top-flight and if he is able to continue with the same form, his inclusion to Hodgson’s squad would be valuable. He would definitely bring in healthy competition, whilst also adding some much-needed quality to their attacking ranks.
At 24, Watkins looks set to take a huge stride in his career and Palace should be able to enjoy his best in the coming years. He could also go on to represent them in the long run and thus, the Eagles should manage to secure his services at the earliest.
