It is now clear that we are going to struggle to sign a marquee striker before deadline, unless we can shift out the likes of Taylor, Vaz Te or McCartney, or even all three. There is, of course another option, albeit an unlikely one. Bring back Carlton Cole. Ok, Ok, I know, but bear with me.
As I understand it, Carlton was offered a new contract but didn’t accept it. He felt he’d be better of pursuing other options. Well, so far that hasn’t quite worked for him. There have been suggestions that he might go to France, Turkey or the USA, or even to Crystal Palace. Now he might be playing a very skilful game of poker, who knows? But if we get to 31 August and Carlton hasn’t found a new home, I wonder whether Sam Allardyce might offer him a way back. Yes, he’d have to eat a bit of humble pie, and the deal may not be the one that was of offer in May, but what do you think he’d rather do, languish in the Championship or come back to a club that he has a real affinity with.
Carlton Cole may not be a prolific goalscorer, and last season didn’t have the best of times, but we all know he would give his all, and be a great understudy to a player who is notoriously injury prone. We could do far worse,