Liverpool are monitoring Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha as he nears the end of his current £130k-per-week contract.
The Lowdown: Contract Winds Down
Zaha has made 288 appearances in the Premier League, largely with Crystal Palace, and has established himself as a star man at Selhurst Park.
However it seems the 29-year-old wants to try a new challenge, and with his contract expiring next year it’s an opportune time to do it.
The talented forward has managed to register five goals and an assist from just ten appearances this season, showcasing the productive form that has endeared him to so many in London.
The Latest: Liverpool Monitoring
According to a report from 90min, the winger is subject to ‘heavy interest from several of Europe’s top sides.’
It goes on to say that while nothing is advanced, Liverpool are monitoring the situation at the moment. It also adds the fact that Zaha dreams of playing Champions League football, although based on current form may not be a given for the Reds next season.
In terms of rival interest, the report mentions Arsenal and Chelsea as the main Premier League contenders, while abroad the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Inter are also monitoring the situation.
The Verdict: Potentially A Good Addition
Signing the Ivorian on a free could be a masterstroke from FSG, particularly as it would leave room for the club to address other areas of the team in desperate need of reinforcements – such as the midfield.
The experienced Premier League man could potentially still have a lot to offer, and could perhaps ease the burden on Liverpool’s current forwards. The club have struggled to truly replace Sadio Mane since his departure, but bringing in the Palace forward alongside other recent signing Luis Diaz would mean Klopp would have a plethora of options in case of injury or dips in form.
Regarding Zaha, he ranks in the top 12% for dribbles completed in relation to his oppositional peers across Europe in the last year, as per FBref, and would also likely bring bags of goals and assists with the Ivory Coast wiz’s willingness to run and attack the space.
This kind of addition could then give the Merseyside giants more options for impact off the bench, with the manager more equipped to rotate with good-quality depth.
Ultimately, it’s still unknown as to where the once EFL Young Player of the Season winner will be playing, but a quote from Klopp in 2019 could get Reds excited:
“Wilfried Zaha is a world-class player and he gets into a one-on-one situation and we’re one down,”
While this is a few years old now and by no means definitive evidence of the Liverpool manager’s current thoughts, it’s certainly something to bear in mind as we get nearer to the resolution of this situation.
