It is no secret that Crystal Palace are in dire need of a centre-forward and it is arguably the reason that we are loitering in the relegation zone (Yaya Sanogo's a start but he remains unproven).

We have sculpted a very capable Premier League squad and have just lacked that cutting edge in the penalty area following some scintillating counter attacks. Strikers are notoriously expensive in today’s market and it is more than likely that we will have to break our transfer record to permanently secure an adequate player.

Here is a list of five players that Alan Pardew could well bring to Selhurst Park to help fire the club to Premier League safety.

Troy Deeney

Watford’s prolific frontman was the subject of transfer attention late in the summer window from a number of Premier League clubs and for good reason too. The 26-year-old striker is on course for at least 20 league goals in the Championship for a third season in a row and has a host of physical attributes that Crystal Palace so desperately crave from their front man. He’s a good height, has a great turn of pace and loves to put himself about. He’s approaching his peak years and promises to get even better. Admittedly it may take a hefty bid to lure him away from Watford, who he captains, but with their title ambitions looking bleak and their famous incapability’s in the play-offs, it may be the best chance we have of securing the deal.

Rickie Lambert

Rickie Lambert has been ridiculed by all angles of the footballing globe after his surprising £4m move to Liverpool from Southampton and it’s perhaps a case of him not being good enough for a big club. Lambert is the epitome of a world-class target man; he’s big; he’s strong; he’s deadly in and around the penalty area; and he has an unerring eye for goal from dead-ball situations. His fairytale move to Liverpool looks to have gone stale and we could be the perfect place for him to get a regular run-out in the Premier League again, particularly under the tenure of Alan Pardew, the boss who brought him to Southampton from Bristol Rovers.

Bafetimbi Gomis

Despite the seemingly-inevitable departure of talismanic striker Wilfried Bony, Swansea boss Garry Monk has yet to assure his supporters that the powerful French striker Bafetimbi Gomis isn’t going to follow suit and leave the club in January. Crystal Palace are in desperate need of a player of his stature and ability and failed to fill the void left by our former loanee workhorse Cameron Jerome. Neil Warnock chose not to dismiss interest in the 29-year-old and Alan Pardew has also chose not to categorically rule him out. The £7-9million figure would be a risk well worth taking considering he has just under 100 French top flight goals.

Islam Slimani

Islam Slimani is an Algerian centre-forward who has been no stranger to speculation to the Premier League. A host of clubs, including Palace, were in for the 26-year-old in the summer prior to the 2014 World Cup because of his work-rate and deadly eye for goal. He plies his trade in Portugal for Sporting and despite a rumoured large release clause, they have been known to listen to offers for the Algerian player of the year. Again, this is a deal that may set the club back in a record transfer deal but we are a side who are just a striker and a left-back away from being a more than decent Premier League team. It could become a relatively small risk should we pocket the reported £70m by staying in the Premier League another season, something that is easily achievable with a good goalscorer.

Giampaolo Pazzini

The Italian striker is a free agent in the summer and would be a great bargain for any side looking for a reputable centre forward with over 20 international caps. He made an impact in his first season at AC Milan following a multimillion pound move from Inter, scoring 15 league goals, but has since fallen out of favour. At 30 years of age, he may be looking for a new challenge away from his native country having already played for five of the teams in Serie A, including an exceptionally successful spell at Sampdoria. He is the target man that we have so desperately been missing and while he isn’t the most agile, he is emphatic in the air and knows how to play the lone role impeccably. 

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