Several players sold by Crystal Palace in recent times are already superstars in football, such as Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.
Olise could even win the Ballon d’Or if he maintains his remarkable form at Bayern Munich and carries it into the World Cup too – having incredibly netted 18 goals and assisted another 29 in 43 games this term.
The France international most recently tore Real Madrid apart with a sublime effort to seal a 4-3 win inside the Allianz Arena, a venue where Robert Lewandowski memorably starred for Bayern Munich.
Now, another Spanish giant in Barcelona plan to sign former Crystal Palace striker Alexander Sorloth as a replacement for the Poland international when his contract expires this summer, according to Marca.
Barcelona target Crystal Palace flop Alexander Sorloth
The Norway international may not have found stardom as quickly as Guehi, Eze and Olise, but he deserves credit for how well his career has panned out since leaving Selhurst Park.
Spanish news outlet Marca – who also say Crystal Palace have made Andoni Iraola an offer – believe Barcelona want Sorloth to replace Lewandowski, a true footballing legend who has netted 627 goals in 863 appearances throughout his stellar career.
It speaks volumes that the Crystal Palace flop is now considered capable of replacing him.
Sorloth – now 30 – only scored once in 20 games for the Eagles, before sealing a £20m move to RB Leipzig in September 2020 after a stunning loan spell at Trabzonspor, where he bagged 33 goals in 49 games.
Germany was difficult for the Norwegian, scoring only six goals in 38 outings, but a loan spell to Real Sociedad from 2021 to 2023 changed everything.
Alexander Sorloth of Atletico de Madrid looks on.
Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images
Sorloth netted 24 goals in 90 games during that loan spell, earning himself a €10m (£9m) move to Villarreal in July 2023 – where he bagged 26 goals in 41 appearances.
It led Atletico Madrid to spend £28m on the man from Trondheim in August 2024, and after a haul of 41 goals in 100 games so far – the latest of which actually knocked Barcelona out of the UEFA Champions League – the Catalans are now chasing his signature in a remarkable turn of events.