Roy Hodgson excited by 'proven goalscorer' signing as Crystal Palace close in on Dominic Solanke loan

Target: Roy Hodgson is hoping to bring in Dominic Solanke on loan
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James Benge30 December 2018

Roy Hodgson is convinced Crystal Palace will be signing a “proven goalscorer” if they can get a loan deal for Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke over the line.

Chairman Steve Parish confirmed before Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea that the club were looking to secure Solanke, though the likes of Huddersfield, Brighton and Rangers have also been linked to the Rangers striker.

Solanke is yet to play a minute of first-team football for Liverpool this season but former England manager Hodgson saw enough of him in the Three Lions’ youth setup to be sure he is the striker Crystal Palace need.

“First of all we’ve got to try and make certain we do get him here on loan,” Hodgson said. “If Steve has mentioned that then it’s obviously not a secret that he’s a target of ours, someone we’d like to have.

“What would he do for us? Well he’d provide the attacking threat that a good centre forward should provide. He’s very much a proven goalscorer through all the age groups at Chelsea and with England.

“If he comes here he’ll have a great opportunity to show he can transfer that to Premier League football. We have someone who is the profile we’re looking for and has the ability we’re looking for which, once again today, I thought we were lacking.

“We know him better from the England days than at Liverpool. At the time when he went there I thought it was a very good signing from their point of view.

“He has been kept out of the team but he has been kept out of the team by some very strong players. It would take some player to knock them off their perch. I don’t think it’s a particular negative in relation to him that unfortunately he has not been able to do so.”

Palace were certainly lacking any cutting edge whatsoever in a tame defeat against an uninspiring Chelsea side, their only shot of the first 80 minutes coming when Jeffrey Schlupp saw his effort blocked.

However Hodgson insisted his team could only have been more adventurous “if we'd wanted to be beaten by four or five goals.”

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