Graeme Souness told Sky Sports that Everton’s reported summer target Wilfried Zaha ‘could play for Real Madrid’.
The 28-year-old has once again been in devastating form for Crystal Palace and it isn’t a surprise that the likes of Everton were keen to add his talents to their ranks over the summer.
Back in July, the Sun (print edition, page 57, July 30) did report Everton’s interest in the £50 million Ivorian trickster [Daily Star], who has seven goals from nine Premier League games this term.
Souness is adamant that if Zaha were to play for a ‘big club’ with a forward-thinking mentality then supporters would see an even more dangerous side to his game.
“His goals and assists over the last few years have kept Palace in the Premier League,” said Souness. “I am a big fan of his.
“I said a couple of years ago that he could play for Real Madrid. The reason I say that is because nobody wants to go one on one with him in the last third.
“At Palace, he is asked to do most jobs. Sprinting back. Sprinting forward. Be the difference-maker. Be creative. Get the goals He is asked to do everything.
“If he’s at a big club, who dominate the ball, he is receiving the ball further up the pitch. Quicker. More accurately. And generally, he is facing the way he wants to go. A lot of the time when you see him play, he has his back to where he wants to go.”
Zaha is, without a doubt, one of those players who will give opposition players sleepless nights and force the opposition coaching staff to do hours and hours of work on him.
Whether there are two players, three or four players marking the boyhood Palace fan, he will get out of that maze like a Cambridge student working out the most difficult maths equation with ease.
Carlo Ancelotti could do with someone of Zaha’s talents on the flanks because he would be another valuable jigsaw to a well-assembled team he is building and is pushing for Europe this term.
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