Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has confirmed that one of his summer signings is ready to start against Leicester City, stressing that the club did not pay £25m for him to sit on the bench.
Palace host Leicester at Selhurst Park this weekend as the Premier League returns to action after the international break.
All eyes are on the starting XI Glasner will field, but he hinted against a selection decision.
Crystal Palace splashed the cash on striker Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal before the window closed and Glasner insists he was not signed to sit on the bench.
Nketiah is available for selection against Leicester on Saturday, with Glasner describing the forward as “very smart”.
“Yes, he is ready to go. Otherwise we wouldn’t have spent around £25m,” Glasner told a news conference.
“We don’t spend £25m on a player sitting on the bench.
“He can play in different positions – he’s very smart. He’s a different profile to Jean-Philippe [Mateta].”
Nketiah looked set to join Nottingham Forest at some point in the summer transfer window, but a move to the City Ground fell through.
Now Nketiah will try to enjoy the regular football at Crystal Palace that he struggled to get at Arsenal.