This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

If you were amongst some presumably shocked Crystal Palace fans who saw Christian Benteke’s name on the scoresheet in Belgium’s 9-0 win over San Marino recently, then you may have seen another recognisable name amongst the scorers.

Timothy Castagne.

The Atalanta right-back was linked with a move to Selhurst Park back in the summer as a candidate to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who joined Manchester United in a deal worth £50m.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, a move for the 23-year-old failed to materialise and Castagne remained with the Serie A side – on the basis of his start to the 2019/20 campaign, you could say that it was a missed opportunity for the south Londoners.

Castagne has made five appearances across both the Serie A and the Champions League this term, where his individual statistics make for impressive reading and suggest that he would’ve been a good signing for Roy Hodgson and Palace chairman Steve Parish.

In the Italian top-flight, the right-back has scored one goal in three appearances, while he has also recorded one shot per game and one key pass per game when in league action for Atalanta.

In his two Champions League appearances, Castagne has recorded two key passes, one dribble and 0.5 shots per game.

The 6-cap Belgium international does his part defensively too, recording three tackles per game in Serie A, while he also makes one clearance per game when in Champions League action.

Incidentally, Palace never actually signed a replacement for Wan-Bissaka, with Joel Ward playing every minute of the Eagles’ Premier League campaign so far – the former Portsmouth man is the only senior right-back on the books at Selhurst Park right now.

With that information in mind, coupled with Castagne’s impressive form so far, it can definitely be viewed as a blunder by Parish not to tie up a deal for the Atalanta right-back.