Why Everton must beat Tottenham Hotspur to sign Wilfried Zaha
Everton and Tottenham Hotspur have been alerted to the fact that Wilfried Zaha has rejected Crystal Palace‘s renewed contract offer of £120,000-a-week. The winger signed a five-year contract last year to extend his stay at Selhurst Park until 2022 with a salary believed to be worth around £110,000-a-week.
However, recent speculations about clubs’ interest in the player have forced the Eagles to offer him fresh terms. The fact that he has turned that proposal down indicates there is an increased possibility for the 25-year-old to exit Palace this summer.
Spurs must sign him to increase squad depth while Everton are on a summer revamp and need someone like Zaha in their attacking third.
Why Everton over Tottenham
If we take a look at both the clubs, it makes sense for Zaha to go to Everton. The first rationale is the regular game time. While Marco Silva will provide him with a week in week out starting place, Mauricio Pochettino might buy him for playing a backup role.
The other reason is from a tactical standpoint. Everton, under Marco Silva, will be heavily structured and mostly play on counter-attacks to catch the opposition teams out. Pochettino’s system is simply the opposite of that, where front players have to press high and also retrieve back to defend as a team.
Zaha’s main strength is his pace and his ability to exploit gaps. With that in mind, the former Manchester United star will make better use of his skills under Silva’s guidance.
There is no doubt that both teams have their own set of requirements. However, Silva and Everton will make greater first-hand use of the player when compared to Spurs and Pochettino.
Verdict
At the end of the day, it is the player’s choice. There is a possibility for him to choose Spurs since they will take part in four competitions. However, with a long-term project revival under Silva, he might also be open to the prospect of moving to Goodison Park.
Neither option is bad or downgraded; it is just that one is better than the other in the given circumstances.
