Crystal Palace have been linked with a Bosman move for 26-year-old French striker Moussa Dembele, a target for Aston Villa.
Moussa Dembele is set to leave Lyon at the end of the season when his contract expires. And Crystal Palace are hoping to sign him up on a Bosman move. A report from Football Insider claims that Aston Villa are keen on signing the French striker as well. But Palace are willing to offer him a lucrative deal to lure him to London.
Dembele has had a poor season with the French outfit this year, scoring just three goals across all competitions. However, he has proven his quality in the past with clubs like Celtic and Fulham. He was quite impressive for Lyon after joining them initially as well.
There is no doubt that a 26-year-old could prove to be a handy option for Crystal Palace in the coming seasons. The Eagles might lose a key attacker in Wilfried Zaha amid interest from Arsenal and several other clubs. And Dembele could be his replacement.
Zaha will be a free agent in the summer, and he is set to move on once his contract expires. The 30-year-old is unlikely to sign a new contract at Selhurst Park. He will be hoping to join a big club capable of challenging for trophies in the coming seasons.
Meanwhile, the opportunity to move to the Premier League could be an attractive option for Dembele, and he will be looking to get his career back on track with regular football in England. The Frenchman has the quality to succeed in English football. And a fresh start at Crystal Palace could be exactly what he needs right now.
Signing the 26-year-old French striker on a free transfer makes the deal a low-risk option. But it remains to be seen whether Palace can get the deal across the line in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Aston Villa could use another quality striker as well, and Dembele would be an interesting option for them.
The West Midlands club have been overly reliant on Ollie Watkins all season, and the 27-year-old clearly needs more help and support from his teammates. Dembele could be an understudy to the Aston Villa striker next season. It will be interesting to see where the 26-year-old French striker ends up eventually.
