Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace are keen on signing former Liverpool striker Fabio Borini, says Italian outlet Calciomercato.
The report claims that AC Milan could be offered a chance to sign both Max Meyer and Christian Benteke in exchange for the former Sunderland and Roma man, as they continue to hunt for strikers in the winter transfer window.
This claim comes days after reports from Turkey (via SportWitness) had said that Palace could be looking to bring Alexander Sorloth back at Selhurst Park by offering Benteke in a potential exchange deal.
Frozen out in Milan
So far this season in the Serie A, Borini has featured only twice for the Rossoneri. He is yet to play under Stefano Pioli as both of his starts at the club this season came against Udinese and Brescia early in the season when Marco Giampaolo was in-charge.
Would Fabio Borini be a good addition at Crystal Palace?
Yes
No
Under Rino Gattuso last season, Borini had featured 20 times in the Serie A and played five times in the Europa League. He managed to score three times, assisting twice and playing a variety of positions including right-back.
He had arrived at the San Siro in what was a major summer spending spree of 2017, which saw the Rossoneri shell out £175 million. In his first season, Borini had played 36 times under Gattuso and Vincenzo Montella combined. He contributed to a total of ten goals.
TIF Tactics
Links with Borini, who is valued at £6.3 million (Transfermarkt), show that Palace are getting too desperate in the chase for a striker. Borini has stopped being a striker at Milan since Gattuso took over around the turn of 2018. He has not just played at right-back, he has also been used in midfield (this season itself) and on the flanks.
His numbers aren’t too impressive either. And since Palace have scored the second-lowest number of goals in the league, they need someone who can score about ten goals in the second half of the campaign to ensure survival for the Eagles. Borini isn’t that player at all.