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Chelsea must sign this pacey Premier League star even if it means spending £75m

Why Wilfried Zaha would be an excellent fit for Chelsea this summer

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha has told his teammates that he wants to quit the club and join London rivals Chelsea, as reported by the Daily Mirror.

Zaha, 25, has rejected a second new contract offer made in 15 months, in an attempt to force a move out of the club. According to the Sun, Crystal Palace are demanding £75m for the Ivory Coast star.

Palace have offered him an improved new deal worth £125,000-a-week despite the fact that the 25-year-old signed one for £100,000-a-week about 15 months ago.

Zaha’s form was the catalyst behind Palace’s upturn in fortunes after a poor start last season which left them reeling at the bottom of the table without a point or a goal after seven matches. Following a fantastic season with the Eagles, would Zaha be a good fit at Chelsea?

Wilfried Zaha

Chelsea have been quiet in the transfer window when compared to their top-four competitors. New manager Maurizio Sarri, who replaced his compatriot Antonio Conte earlier this month, has only brought in Jorginho from Napoli and goalkeeper Rob Green on a free transfer.

With less than a week left for the transfer window to slam shut, Chelsea should make a move for Zaha to signal their intent in the Premier League. The Blues cannot afford to go into the season with an underperforming team with a lack of depth.

While the Londoners are blessed to have the likes of Eden Hazard, Alvaro Morata, Willian and Pedro in their attacking arsenal, the entry of Zaha would make Sarri’s front line more potent. His presence will also bring a certain level of unpredictability which would help the Blues cut open tactically-assembled defensive teams next season.

Among the attackers available to Sarri, Hazard is the best by a mile and a player of Zaha’s quality would only complement the Belgian to provide Chelsea with greater fluidity in the attack. Zaha can play on either wing or even as a false 9 and his versatility would offer Sarri tactical flexibility while setting up his team against some of the top oppositions in the league, as well as in Europe.

Zaha would be a tremendous player for Sarri’s Chelsea. He would bring in energy, bite, fluidity and pace to their attack, along with an element of unpredictability. The 25-year-old experienced a forgettable spell at Manchester United but since then, he has come a long way and has grown as a player.

Chelsea need to add more bite to their attack to mount a significant title challenge in the upcoming season and Zaha seems to be the ideal man for the job. The Ivorian’s dribbling abilities on the ball is impressive.

He uses his blistering pace to glide past defenders, creating spaces for himself before punching a shot. The 25-year-old is also an excellent finisher in front of the goal. He’s always on the move and loves to keep the goalkeeper on his toes.

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Palace manager Roy Hodgson has admitted that Zaha is an integral part of his plans but Chelsea must do everything within their powers to sign him up.