Crystal Palace had the oldest squad within the Premier League earlier than Patrick Vieira was appointed at Selhurst Park in 2021, and the recruitment technique because the supervisor’s arrival has championed a younger method.
Certainly, the squad remains to be wealthy with skilled gamers however the rising stars within the group have been the distinction over the past season with Michael Olise, Odsonne Edouard, Tyrick Mitchell and Marc Guehi just some of the younger gamers who’ve been making their mark in South London.
Nonetheless, there may be definitely nonetheless loads of room for enchancment because the Premier League marketing campaign up to now has been powerful for the Eagles with solely six factors tallied up from their first seven league outings leaving them teetering on the sting of the relegation zone in seventeenth.
In consequence, Vieira might check out his younger academy gamers rising via the ranks in hope of a golden alternative to interrupt into the senior group at Selhurst Park, and one participant who may very well be the proper inheritor for veteran midfielder James McArthur is Malachi Boateng.
The gifted 20-year-old ace is at present on mortgage with Scottish Championship aspect Queen’s Park and is prospering in his new function in Scotland, scoring one aim and delivering one help from his defensive midfield place over his seven appearances up to now.
Boateng was the recipient of big reward from the Crystal Palace U23’s supervisor Shaun Derry after he received Crystal Palace’s U23 Participant of the Yr award again in 2020:
He stated: “A midfielder who has so many strings to his bow… He reveals aggression, he reveals high quality on the ball, he can get across the pitch – wins the second ball and may dictate play.”
Ought to Vieira give Boateng an opportunity?
Sure
No
The teen has made 53 appearances within the defensive midfield function however his capabilities to additionally supply an attacking risk with aim contributions might make him the proper central midfielder to succeed McArthur, who’s at present struggling harm points and coming to the latter phases of his profession.
Just like the younger Palace gem, McArthur is aggressive in his defensive duties, performing because the midfield metronome in the midst of the park. Boateng would seem able to doing that, however crucially possessing the instruments to do effectively offensively too.
With that being stated, Vieira needs to be protecting a detailed eye on the teen’s growth with Queen’s Park over the approaching months as he might change into a really helpful participant within the senior group again in London, serving to them to probably save tens of millions on bettering their midfield depth subsequent summer time.