Crystal Palace’s forward search has led them on the trail of Bologna striker Sydney van Hooijdonk, but the move does have its complications.
According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace could target Sydney van Hooijdonk as Roy Hodgson continues to look for a new forward. The 23-year-old Serie A striker could leave Bologna, but Wolfsburg have already submitted a bid for the Dutch forward.
Wolfsburg’s offer of £8 million for Sydney van Hooijdonk has not been accepted by Bologna yet, but there’s an increasing likelihood for the Dutch forward to leave before the window shuts. The German side will hope to seal the deal for the striker, but now, with the entry of Crystal Palace, things could get complex.
Van Hooijdonk has not performed to the expected levels for Bologna but had an excellent season on loan to Herenveen. In the Eredivisie, the 23-year-old Serie A striker scored 19 goals in 39 games in all competitions, although he could get sold by the Italian side.
Palace, for their part, are looking for a different strike option to add some depth in the position. They have started the season with Odsonne Edouard but have not sufficiently replaced Wilfried Zaha. Roy Hodgson has been keen on a new forward, but they have not made any headways so far.
Palace are pushing to sign Kelechi Iheanacho but has yet to agree on a fee with Leicester City. There’s plenty of optimism to get the deal done, but the club are also looking at alternatives if they cannot get the Nigerian on board.
There are links to Hugo Ekitike, but doubts persist over the French forward moving to England just yet, as he would want to establish himself in France, particularly with PSG. Hence, Van Hooijdonk could emerge as a solid option for the Eagles, who also seem very cost-effective.
Palace must wait on the outcome of negotiations between Wolfsburg and Bologna before making their move. They might make a counteroffer and propose more money than the German side, which could benefit the movement.
Considering the 23-year-old Serie A striker is only a contingent option for them, they may not rush this deal through unless the Dutchman becomes their only option.
