A sequence of bad results resulted in Roy Hodgson’s dismissal and the appointment of Austrian manager Oliver Glasner, but some exciting new talent arrived during the January transfer window.
On Monday night, there was an instant reaction to the new boss as the Eagles emerged from Goodison Park with a hard-earned point.
The sole goal for the south Londoner was scored by Jordan Ayew, who received assistance from Jean-Philippe Mateta. Although the Frenchman has performed well for Palace this year, he may need to start watching his back because Glasner may have the ideal replacement from the academy the next season.
The six-foot-four striker initially signed a loan deal with Palace in January 2021 from Bundesliga team FSV Mainz. Despite scoring just one goal in his first seven games for the team, the forward stayed with the team until February 2022, when his loan was extended to a permanent deal for approximately £9 million, or roughly £12 million when the loan fee is taken into consideration.
Though he only started 13 Premier League games, the Sevran-born number nine’s season fared a little better as he scored seven goals and contributed one assist in 28 appearances for Patrick Vieira’s team in 2021/22.
In 32 first-team games, he finished the 2022–2023 season with just four goals and no assists. However, he has made some progress this season, and as of right now, he has a respectable return of six goals and five assists in 26 appearances across all competitions.
Nevertheless, despite his recent improvement, he has only managed 16 goals and 6 assists in 93 games for a Premier League team that wants to move up the standings. Given the rise of a certain striker in the academy, the Frenchman could.
