According to a recent report by the Telegraph, Everton are expected to come up with a significantly improved bid for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha after he decided to hand in a transfer request on Wednesday. The same source has also mentioned that an offer in the region of £70m plus Cenk Tosun could be enough for the Toffees to convince the Eagles to part ways with their prized asset before the English transfer window slams shut at 5 pm later today.
Wilfried Zaha’s Majestic Career At Selhurst Park
The Ivory Coast international came through Crystal Palace’s youth system before he managed to rise to prominence after putting in some eye-catching displays at the senior level. Manchester United decided to give him a shot and brought him to Old Trafford back in 2013.
However, things didn’t work out for Zaha at Manchester which is why he had to go out on loan to play for Cardiff City. He also got an opportunity to return to Selhurst Park on loan for the 2014-15 campaign before the Eagles managed to land him permanently during the January transfer window of 2015.
Zaha had an outstanding campaign for Palace last season where he was given more freedom to express himself in the final third. The Ivory Coast star ended up scoring ten goals while providing ten assists in 36 appearances for Roy Hodgson’s side across all competitions in the previous campaign. The 26-year-old has also featured in nine international matches for Ivory Coast and has registered two goals for his nation thus far.
The ex-Cardiff centre-forward is versatile enough to operate on either flank as a wide player if required. Hence, Marco Silva could use a player of Zaha’s versatility at Goodison Park in the upcoming campaign.
What Will The Ivory Coast Talent Bring To Merseyside?
Zaha is blessed with blistering pace which allows him to make some penetrative runs in the attacking third of the pitch. He tends to come alive in 1v1 situations and can instinctively beat his marker using his speed and trickery inside the opposition penalty box. The Ivorian prospect is also known for his ability to draw fouls and earn penalties in the final third.
With Richarlison often having to play in the makeshift role of a forward as the strikers at Everton did not do their job last season, the Palace forward could lead the line allowing the Brazilian to play in his favoured position on the wings. Alternatively, Silva could decide to go in with Zaha and Richarlison on the wings to create havoc in the opposition defence.
Splashing The Cash For Zaha: Good Move For The Toffees?
The acquisition of a striker of Zaha’s skillset will undoubtedly bolster Silva’s attacking options significantly at the Merseyside club. He will not only add some much-needed pace to the Everton attack but will also provide more productivity in front of the opposition goal. Zaha will be a brilliant deadline day acquisition for the Toffees if they can find a way to convince Palace to sanction a deal in the final few hours of this summer transfer window.
