Everton should plan a late hijack to sign ‘magic’ £165k-a-week winger after latest development

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Everton may have already bolstered well in the transfer market, but their squad is far from complete.

It will likely be more than enough to ensure their Premier League status, but after so many years of hardships and heartache, Sean Dyche will have quiet ambitions of surpassing all expectations.

Whether that be to push into the top half or beyond remains to be seen, but it will likely only occur should he add one or two key new faces to the team.

One of which simply has to be a winger.

Everton have wanted Wilfried Gnonto for as long as most fans can remember, but there just seem to be too many hurdles to force that deal through.

Fortunately, for just one season, Kevin Thelwell could grab an ample alternative from under the noses of a Premier League rival.

Wilfried Zaha set to return to the Premier League

With the news breaking that Crystal Palace were interested in a loan move for Wilfried Zaha, the football romantics pipped up.

After all, having left for Galatasaray in 2023 after a legendary 11-year affiliation with the Eagles, to see him return having finally got the Champions League experience he craved would have been so heartwarming.

However, as quickly as that rumour emerged was it just as quickly shot down, with journalist Fabrizio Romano noting: ‘Wilfried Zaha and Crystal Palace, understand deal’s currently OFF.’

For whatever reason, the deal had fallen through, but now Zaha’s availability had become public knowledge.

So, David Ornstein was next to update fans, writing: ‘Leicester City working on deal to sign Wilfred Zaha from Galatasaray. 31yo winger available on season-long loan – not done but #LCFC in talks to do deal (would include loan fee). Crystal Palace also explored possibility.’

If newly-promoted and financially-ravaged Leicester City are the only club sniffing around, then Everton should be all over this deal.

Everton tried to sign Wilfried Zaha in 2019

Especially given the fact that Everton tried to sign the Ivory Coast international back in 2019.

Thelwell has made a habit of returning to sign players the club previously failed to, with Iliman Ndiaye, Arnaut Danjuma and Gnonto three prime examples.

So, it would make perfect sense to repeat this trick with the 31-year-old, who still has so much to offer in the Premier League.

A fast, dynamic and skilful winger who would inject exactly what Dyche’s side are lacking, his ‘magic’, as Brentford boss Thomas Frank once lauded, would be more than welcome during Goodison Park’s last-ever season.

The only stumbling block could be his huge £165k-a-week contract, but given he scored 90 goals for the Eagles and assisted a further 62, it’s certainly worth a punt for a sole year.