I’m acutely aware that what I’m about to say may not be met by universal approval amongst West Ham fans. But here goes anyway . . . I’m quite open to the idea of signing Wilfried Zaha.
In fact, I’d go as far as to say that I’m reasonably excited at the prospect. Of course, the signing isn’t without its risks. Zaha is only available due to a falling out with his current Galatasaray manager so it’s fair to suggest that he could be difficult to manage.
His talent, however, is not in question. When Zaha is in full flight he is one of the finest attackers in the Premier League. Sure, he can have his petulant moments but it’s nothing that good man management couldn’t fix.
Zaha: Manager’s dream or nightmare?
A certain Harry Redknapp would have been all over this sort of signing back in the day. And it’s not as if the former Palace winger has had issues with every manager he has played under. Alex Ferguson, Roy Hodgson and Patrick Viera all speak highly of Zaha, whilst his troubles with David Moyes are personal and perhaps best left unwritten on these pages.
Yes, he’s 31 and hardly the sort of player who will reduce the age of the West Ham squad. That being said, the club have just signed an 18-year-old winger in Luis Guilherme and Zaha still has three years at the top level.
The best compliment I can give Zaha is that he’s a match winner who would lift the London Stadium every time he travelled with the ball. As a opponent, I can’t deny that he is one of the most irritating and petulant players I’ve ever seen play against West Ham.
But make no mistake about it, Wilfried Zaha would improve West Ham’s squad and give Julen Lopetegui serious options in attack. I’m all for it.
Yep the West Ham way… Buy all the players in their final years playing, pay them good money and they never play. Just what we need another geriatric has been! One day we will buy a young or create a young decent striker! What happened to all our homegrowns!?
Zaha is a no for me. If we are committed to a longer term plan of building a younger team for the future then we cannot fall into the same mistakes of the past, recruiting players who only come to the hammers for a pay day in the last few years of their careers. Maybe an experienced CB for some stability but wingers I feel we should be able to take a chance on the youth.
Spot on!! Bring through our youngsters or buy a decent young one!!! Besides which there’s no way I wanna have to go paint the whole side of the house at Palace with him on in west ham colours!
I think you make valid points on the talent front. For me, I really don’t want his attitude as part of our team. The whinging and diving is not welcome. I don’t like it when Paqueta does it and I’d rather not add more. But I understand the attraction. He’s a game changer on his day. Just not for me.
I actually agree. I’d normally say we should be avoiding players of this age. But I think IF he’s available at around £10m as reported, that’s a bargain for a player who can be a match winner. Doubtful that he falls into Steidten’s criteria but would be a really good addition at the right wages.
Yeah but he’d be wanting 150k wages…. Just No!!!
Who’s running this **** show anyway? Tim or the gremlin ,what happened to young hungry gems . Instead we get fed all this crap linking us to every man and his dog , and most of them on there last legs . Thought we had the 2nd oldest squad in the league! And as for getting these players in before preseason starts isn’t going to happen, it’s back to dithering and obviously going for all the wrong targets …Wilson , zaha come on ffs
Hi gonzo, sorry someone commented in such a personal manner mate. On zaha I’d be over the moon especially considering some of the links (Moise Kean, Callum Wilson, Ryan sessegnon) who are so unbearably poor (kean) and in the case of Wilson and sessegnon terribly injury prone. I was really really hopeful of a summer transformation in targets etc and I’m still there but that hope is wobbling a tad. Cheers as always
You sound like Harry Redknapp. He loved a ‘name’ regardless of all the pitfalls, and after all, it wasn’t his money his agent friends were getting…
You’ve brought up all the relevant points related to this player, with one glaring omission – his injury record and the fact he only has to feel a twitch, he refuses to play, or the migraines when he’s not in the mood to play. When he does play he’s not a team player.
As he’s gotten older he’s missed 74 games since 2023.
He’s one to steer clear of an far from a roll model for our youngsters.
Players like him and the sicknote from the sportwashing club are the old West Ham with the manager in charge spending wasting money thinking the ‘name’ will impress us, not the new West Ham we’re told has changed from the bad old days.
Let’s see.
Saha has to be a yes
Gonzo….. if we take one of Zaha or Wilson, which would you take?
I go Zaha, think he can play in a couple of positions if needed, as part of fluid front 3.
What do you think?
I’m 50/50 on this one, as you said he can be a handful on his day. Only thing he’d have to sort out is the constant falling over and whinging side of his game.
Gonzo you ****head, stop banging on about this!!
If you got nothing to report then fine, don’t, you are becoming a joke!
Easier for you not to read it John. Not really any need for the insult either, I’ve done nothing to you made so why be rude?
Spot on Gonzo, keep up the solid work mate.