Wilfried Zaha celebrates after scoring. (Getty Images)
Speaking to The Times, Tony Cascarino has urged Premier League champions Liverpool to sign Wilfried Zaha. He believes the Crystal Palace attacker can be a good addition to the Reds and give competition to the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
Zaha has made no secret of his desire to leave the club and join a team that can provide him Champions League football, as manager Roy Hodgson has revealed. (h/t Football.london)
Wilfried Zaha is a 27-year-old Ivory Coast forward who currently plays for Crystal Palace. He started his youth career at Palace itself back in 2004. In 2010, he broke into the senior side and went on to make close to 150 appearances in three seasons. (h/t Transfermarkt)
He was Sir Alex Ferguson’s last ever signing as Manchester United manager, as Zaha made the switch to Old Trafford. However, even before he could get a look in, he was loaned out to Cardiff City. Zaha made just 4 appearances for the Red Devils. (h/t Transfermarkt)
The winger finally returned to Selhurst Park in 2014, initially on loan, but the deal was made permanent in the subsequent January window. Since then, he has made 220 appearances for Palace, scoring 40 goals and providing 44 assists. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Zaha had a choice between England and Ivory Coast, as which team to represent internationally. Despite playing in the youth teams for England and a couple of friendlies for the senior side, he opted to represent his country of birth Ivory Coast. He has made 17 appearances so far and scored 5 goals during that time. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Liverpool boast one of the most fearsome attacking trident in world football. The trio of Mane, Roberto Firmino and Salah are perfectly suited to each other and Klopp’s high press style of play. Mane and Salah are the primary goal-getters while Firmino presses from the front and creates space for the other two to run into.
And while Zaha has started the new season on a positive note, he would only be second-fiddle to the aforementioned trio at Anfield. And meeting Palace’s demands of £45m for a player who would be reduced to a squad option, wouldn’t be the most feasible move at a time when finances have been hit hard due to the pandemic.
A move to Anfield might look like a dream come true but Zaha would be a squad option instead of a sure starter there. Not undermining Zaha’s quality but it is no easy task to replace any of Salah, Mane or Firmino.
Furthermore, with Jurgen Klopp ruling out spending big money this summer, Liverpool would be reluctant to match Palace’s £45m valuation of a player who is likely to be a sporadic player. Thus, a move for the Ivorian would be wasteful and ill-advised.