Everton could save huge money by choosing Alex Iwobi over Wilfried Zaha

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Premier League outfit Everton have made bids for Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi and Crystal Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha.

Eden Hazard, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez.

What do these superlative forwards have in common, except that they are among some of the most gifted attackers of their generation of course? Well, if Crystal Palace’s asking price is met before 5:00pm, Thursday afternoon, Hazard, Ronaldo, Bale and Suarez will all have moved clubs for less than Wilfried Zaha.

According to the Guardian, Everton have made a bid of £70 million, plus James McCarthy and Cenk Tosun, for the Ivory Coast international. That still isn’t enough. Palace want £100 million.

Now, that does not mean that Zaha is worthy of becoming the sixth most expensive player in football history but it does reflect just how priceless he is to a Palace side remain so worryingly overly reliant on his wizardry out wide.

Zaha might be Everton’s number one target, the kind of marquee signing who could transform them from ‘best of the rest’ to genuine top six contenders, but there are other options out there. Cheaper ones too.

According to Sky, Everton have now turned their attention to Alex Iwobi instead, offering £30 million for the Arsenal winger.

The bid has been rejected but The Gunners may be tempted to cash in on their academy graduate if Everton raise an already hefty offer. After all, it is uncertain where Iwobi fits in after the club-record signing of Nicolas Pepe, a prolific wide attacker who loves to cut inside from the right.

Iwobi might not possess the same game-changing qualities that Zaha has shown time and time again in the red and blue of Crystal Palace but, crucially, he is three years younger and made huge strides under Unai Emery last season – regardless of what some of the more absurd factions of the Arsenal support may claim.

Choosing Iwobi over Zaha could save Everton £60, possibly £70 million. The only problem is, they will have a player with vast yet unfulfilled potential rather than the finished article.