Duvan Zapata has hardly set the world alight in Serie A – so it seems unlikely that West Brom will pay up to £16m to sign him this summer.
From proven Premier League talents Fernando Llorente, Troy Deeney and Alvaro Negredo to continental exports a la Eder and Bas Dost, a countless number of strikers have been linked with a move to West Brom in recent weeks.
However, despite the fact The Baggies only recently ended an eight hour Premier League goal drought, they should go nowhere near Udinese loanee Duvan Zapata – at least based on parent club Napoli’s current valuation, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.
They claim that the Partenopei will demand up to £16 million for the 25-year-old this summer – smashing the club record fee they paid Tottenham Hotspur for Nacer Chadli last summer.
Which, when you consider the fact that Zapata has just nine goals in 35 Serie A appearances this season, seems rather steep.
On paper, the Colombian is a good fit for Tony Pulis’ gameplan, with his strength and pace meaning he should fit into the rough and tumble of the Premier League. Yet, what The Baggies really need is a reliable goalscorer – something they clearly lack with Salomon Rondon only recently bringing an end to five months without a league strike.
Yet, Zapata has scored just 28 goals in 93 appearances for Napoli and Udinese in the Italian top flight. Therefore, there’s little reason to suggest he could take the club to the next level or give them genuine hope of challenging for Europa League qualification next season.
Perhaps Pulis should keep on searching.
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