Roy Hodgson admits Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun is a player Crystal Palace have their eyes on Roy Hodgson admits Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun is a player Crystal Palace have their eyes on

Crystal Palace are monitoring Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun, Roy Hodgson has confirmed.

Besiktas have already rejected an £18m bid from Palace for Tosun, according to Sky sources in Turkey.

But Hodgson said Palace have not, to his knowledge, made an offer for the 26-year-old striker, who has scored 12 goals for the Turkish champions this season, including four in the Champions League.

"I know him, he plays in the Champions League," said Hodgson, whose Palace side do not have a first-team striker available to face Swansea this weekend, with Christian Benteke suspended.

"The club have watched him, yes. I don't think there's been any further contact between the clubs, I'd be surprised if that's the case.

"At the moment I have no information whatsoever that we are going to sign Cenk Tosun so if tomorrow the chairman says to me I've got you a player, Cenk Tosun, I shall be as surprised as you are."

Besiktas president Fikret Orman told Sky Sports News in November that the club wanted to keep Tosun to aid their progress in Europe, with the Turkish champions having qualified for the Champions League knockout rounds for the first time in their history.

"It's difficult mid-season to think about selling Tosun to the Premier League," Orman said. "It would need incredible numbers for us, £20m is not enough, I don't need to sell now. I can wait until the end of the season."