According to the Evening Standard, Crystal Palace will not consider the sale of full-back Patrick van Aanholt this month.
This comes after a reported £4.2m bid was lodged by PSV Eindhoven, a dismal bid one might add. And all things considered, it is easy to understand the south London club’s stance.
After all, as highlighted by Transfermarkt, Van Aanholt is the only natural left-back in Roy Hodgson’s squad. As well as that, he also brings so much to the team, both defensively and offensively.
Averaging 1.6 interceptions per Premier League game, no Palace defender can top the 29-year-old in that department (via WhoScored). To go with his two goals, Van Aanholt is also making 0.8 crosses per game, which is better than what some of the team’s wingers are currently producing.
For example, talisman Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend are both averaging 0.4, showing that Palace rely on Van Aanholt for width and crosses into the box. So late in the window, can Hodgson really afford to lose all of that?
Indeed, you would have to imagine that it would be difficult to find an adequate replacement for Van Aanholt this far down the line. And with the Netherlands international’s contract not up until 2021, there is no immediate pressure to sell him.
Things can be re-evaluated in the summer should Van Aanholt not put pen to paper on a new deal. But for now, given the circumstances, he surely needs to remain a Palace player.
Crystal Palace fans, would you be sad to see Van Aanholt go? Let us know in the comment section below!
