In the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window, Christian Benteke has been linked with a shock move to Wolverhampton Wanderers as Bruno Lage seeks a solution to last season's attacking problems.
The 31-year-old has struggled to feature for Patrick Vieira, and after young prospect Luke Plange has impressed in Crystal Palace's pre-season fixtures, the Belgian's position in the pecking order could be under more threat.
Benteke only started eleven league fixtures under his new manager in the 2021/22 Premier League season, while Jean-Phillipe Mateta was often the favoured choice to spearhead the attack.
But as he finds himself still in and around the Belgium first-team, with the World Cup on the horizon, the 86-Premier League goal striker could seek a change in club colours in the forthcoming campaign to bolster his chances of featuring in Qatar.
Talking to OLBG about the growing interest in Benteke, former Eagles striker Clinton Morrison, who scored 112 goals for the club, in a career that spanned over nine years, refused to play down the notion that the Belgian may wish for a change of scenery before the transfer window is over.
"It depends on what Christian Benteke wants to do because last season, he didn't play as much as he would have probably hoped for," he explained.
"It was always Mateta who came in and did ever so well, and then Edouard, who was probably coming on before Benteke a lot of the time."
Wolves, on the other hand, are less fortunate in their striking department, with the club scoring a disappointing 38 goals in the Premier League last season.
While Raul Jimenez has struggled to regain the form he had before his long-term injury, Benteke may offer Bruno Lage with a different dimension in attack.
His aerial prowess and physical presence are traits that could reap rewards at Molineux, and with the chance creation that players like Pedro Neto could provide the 6ft2in forward, goals could become a theme again for the midlands club.
"If Wolves are offering Benteke a chance to play week in and week out, then it could be possible, but it'll be difficult with Jimenez," Morrison claimed.
"He might get more game time at Wolves, but it's one of those deals that you can see happening. I like Christian Benteke, I like him a lot, and I speak to him when I go to the games, so I know what kind of character he is.
"But sometimes you get to that part of your career where you need to be playing regular football, especially in a World Cup year.
"He's been in around that Belgium squad, so he needs to be playing every week, and he'll have to decide whether he thinks he can get that game time at Crystal Palace.
If Crystal Palace are to sell Benteke's services, then it could open the door for more transfer business in the attacking department for the south London club.
Among the names thrown into the hat of rumours linking them to a move to Croydon are Swansea City's Joel Piroe, Strasbourg's Ludovic Ajorque, and continued interest in Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah.
"It'll come down to what Christian Benteke wants to do and what the club want to do. If they let him go, then they definitely need to bring in another striker.
"That's something that could play out, there's still over a month left of the transfer window, so you'll have to watch that space.
"Personally, for me, if I'm Benteke, then I want to be playing week in and week out."
Link to OLBG: https://www.olbg.com/betting-strategy