Tottenham Hotspur have pulled out of the race to sign Wilfried Zaha, who Crystal Palace value at £100m – but have they made the right decision?
The London Evening Standard report that Spurs had significant interest in the player but are not prepared to meet the Eagles’ valuation, similarly to last summer when they were asking for £70m.
Zaha had another relatively successful season in front of goal, scoring 10 times in the Premier League and also providing five assists.
However, his record is similar to that of Spurs winger Lucas Moura, who also netted 10 times, and Son Heung-min who scored 12 and provided a further six.
The Ivorian has unquestionable talent when in full flow, with his trickery and pace enough to bamboozle any defender in England and across the world.
However, his issues with consistency and his temperament are two factors that bring him down, with the 26-year-old often being known to lash out against the ‘agricultural’ treatment he receives.
Another concern would be his inability to cement a first-team spot after a £15m move to Manchester United in 2013. If he was unable to cope with the pressures of playing for a top-six club back then, who’s to say he is able to now?
As well as the substantial fee, Zaha would be likely to demand a significant wage given that he signed a new Palace deal worth £130,000 a week back in August.
This would test the tight wage structure at Spurs, with chairman Daniel Levy known to offer relatively small salaries compared to other top English and European outfits.
With all that considered, Spurs have probably done the right thing in ending their interest in the Palace winger. With Levy set to open the cheque book after not signing a player in the past two windows, £100m could be spent on several players of the same ability as the Ivorian.
