Bolasie return would help save a difficult Crystal Palace summer
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After salvaging Premier League survival with room to spare last season, Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson was hoping to move the club upwards this term.
But the Eagles have been quiet in the summer transfer window. They’ve spent much of it fending off advances for Wilfried Zaha, while bringing in Max Meyer, Cheikhou Kouyate and Vicente Guaita.
They’re 11/5 for a top-half finish this season, and their hopes could be boosted if they can bring back Selhurst Park favourite Yannick Bolasie.
The 29-year-old has been deemed surplus to requirements under new Everton boss Marco Silva. The Toffees’ big-money signing of Richarlison pushed Bolasie further out of the frame.
Everton paid Palace £25m for Bolasie in 2016, and though he’s under contract at Goodison Park until 2021, the Toffees may be keen to sell quickly and cheaply if Silva has no intention of utilising him.
All of this can only help Palace and Hodgson. Bolasie spent four seasons with the South Londoners, helping to establish the Eagles in the top flight with nine goals and 19 assists from 90 Premier League games in red and blue.
And his return would also help Palace if they were pushed into selling Zaha. Chelsea have been heavily linked and it’s believed the Ivory Coast ace would move if a respectable bid was made.
Bolasie’s energy and trickery would be much-needed in a post-Zaha world. It could keep the club ticking over until the mid-season window in January.
Whether or not Bolasie is in the squad, Palace’s campaign gets underway with a London derby against Fulham.
We’ve got Hodgson’s men at 2/1 for an opening weekend victory.
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All Odds and Markets correct as of date of publication
