Former Cardiff City frontman Rudy Gestede has been a revelation since joining Blackburn Rovers (7/1 with Coral to finish in a Championship play-off place) permanently.
The 6ft 4in Benin international has even outscored Ewood Park strike partner Jordan Rhodes this term with a dozen to keep the Lancashire outfit in the hunt.
Gestede was left out of the matchday squad for an away trip to Wigan Athletic by Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer, however, and he explained that Premier League interest in the player is ongoing.
“There’s a Premier League club in discussions with the club – but the club quite rightly doesn’t want to sell him on the cheap,” Bowyer said of Gestede after the 1-1 draw at the DW Stadium.
“If nothing is concluded over the weekend we’ll have him back in work on Monday, and we’ll continue to have him available for the rest of our games and scoring more goals. Talks have taken place over the last 24 hours and we decided to focus on this game with the players we knew would be available.”
That got Coral’s football experts thinking about where a target man like Gestede would fit in, and which top-flight teams need another striking option? We came up with four potential January destinations for Gestede.
Crystal Palace Alan Pardew is clearly keen on remodeling the Eagles’ attack after capturing Yaya Sanogo on loan from Arsenal. Palace are now 4/1 to be relegated following a second successive Premier League win, but have sent Kevin Doyle back to Wolves and let player-coach Andy Johnson leave.
Gestede, who Pardew has also launched a bid for, would be a great addition to the Selhurst Park and, at 26, is younger than other out-and-out centre forward options Marouane Chamakh, currently injured, and Glenn Murray. The latter may be on his way to Reading if the Eagles land this target.
Hull With Abel Hernandez and Nikica Jelavic both sidelined for several weeks, Tigers boss Steve Bruce will surely be forced into the market for another striker.
African flops Sone Aluko and Yannick Sagbo have one goal between them this term, while usual winger Tom Ince is also operating as a makeshift striker. Hull are 7/4 chances for relegation, and need someone like Gestede to find the net, as they are third-lowest scorers in the Premier League and occupy a spot in the bottom three.
Swansea After a heavy home defeat to Chelsea and having no shots on target, Garry Monk must reinforce his striking options at the Liberty Stadium. His Swans are stuck in a sort of limbo following Wilfried Bony’s sale.
Swansea are not really top six contenders at 16/1, but far from relegation candidates at 80/1. They need someone like Gestede to help them navigate this no man’s land of mid-table comfort, and shake a few feathers.
West Brom Baggies boss Tony Pulis loves a big man up front, and Gestede fits into that hard-working ethic he will demand from players at The Hawthorns. No longer considered in immediate relegation danger at 4/1, a move to the West Midlands may be an attractive prospect, especially as a strike partnership with Saido Berahino looks mouthwatering.
