Crystal Palace supporters in the Transfer Tavern are very much looking forward to the 2018/19 Premier League season, what with their team seeking to build upon their solid 11th place finish last term.
The Eagles were in complete disarray at the start of the campaign in losing each of their opening seven league matches, the first four of which overseen by Frank de Boer before his sacking. And while Roy Hodgson then suffered three losses on the spin, the former England boss led the London-based outfit to 44 points from their last 31 league games to eventually finish 11th in the division, 11 points clear of the bottom three.
Thus, there are many expectant Palace fans up and down the country at present, although they are unlikely to be overly thrilled by reports that influential ace Wilfried Zaha wants to leave Selhurst Park.
The 25-year-old has played as big a part as anyone in keeping Palace in the top-flight in the last two seasons, with the Ivory Coast international comfortably one of the best attackers outside of the division’s top six clubs.
And his excellent exploits for the Eagles has since attracted much interest in his services, with Marco Silva’s Everton one side reportedly keen on the winger, and as such are reportedly willing to offer ex-Palace star Yannick Bolasie as part of a deal to lure Zaha to Merseyside.
However, with Bolasie having failed to produce the goods recently, Palace should instead demand one of these TWO Everton stars as part of a possible deal for 25-year-old Zaha…
Michael Keane only made the move to Goodison Park last summer after excelling in the heart of Burnley’s backline the seasons before, which also went some way to earning him four England caps in 2017.
However, the 25-year-old didn’t enjoy the best of debut seasons at Goodison Park last time round in being part of a defensive unit that shipped 58 goals in their 38 Premier League matches, three more than Hodgson’s Palace.
Yet there is no doubting that there is a fine defender in Keane given his efforts for Burnley and indeed England last year, and as such he’d add a great deal to an already-talented group of centre backs at Selhurst Park, most notably as a look towards the long term.
If Everton are serious about luring the supremely talented Zaha to Goodison Park, they may have to part with one of their most prized assets to do so.
And Palace should seriously test the Toffees’ resolve by demanding Idrissa Gueye as part of the deal, as the Senegal international has comfortably been one of Everton’s most influential players in the last few years.
The 28-year-old has appeared 73 times for the Toffees since making the move from Aston Villa back in 2016 and has seemingly become the best central midfielder at the club, having made 33 appearances in the Premier League last season.
And having let Yohan Cabaye leave at the expiration of his contract earlier in the summer, Palace are somewhat short in that department, which is why they should ask the question about Gueye as part of a deal to take Zaha to Everton.
