Christian Kouamé came very close to signing for Crystal Palace during the last winter transfer window. A knee injury saw the move from Genoa cancelled, but Fiorentina then took the risk anyway, getting the attacker on a loan deal with an obligation to buy.
This season the 23-year-old has featured in 12 Serie A matches, as a centre forward, and scored just one goal. Recently he’s been losing prominence for the Tuscany club, forced to accept late substitute appearances.
During Fiorentina’s last match, a 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona, he didn’t even get off the bench.
This isn’t the type of form which would suggest Crystal Palace could return for him, but La Repubblica suggest otherwise in their Monday edition. They run an article explaining where Fiorentina may need to do business in January, and that includes an addition in attack.
One of the reasons is that Crystal Palace could soon make a ‘very important offer’ for Kouamé, and he would need to be replaced in the squad.
Roy Hodgson’s side are presented as interested in a January deal, and that surely has to go back to their original scouting when the player was at Genoa.Speaking in April about his failed move, he said: “I don’t have any regrets. I should have gone to the Premier League and I would have liked it because English football is one I’m passionate about, but I injured myself. Destiny wanted it this way.”
