Forget Wilfried Zaha, Everton can sign this 11 goal attacking gem for just £18 million

Everton must consider signing Milot Rashica from Werder Bremen instead of signing Wilfried Zaha from Crystal Palace.

The rumours of Wilfried Zaha are intensifying day by day. Every now and then news outlets report Everton’s interest in the Ivorian. It is true that Crystal Palace is willing to let Zaha go but will demand £35 million from any side interested in the 27 year old. Instead, Everton can sign Milot Rashica from Werder Bremen for a much lesser fee and expect more years out of him.

Milot Rashica was absolutely on fire for Werder Bremen last season. In terms of stats, the 24 year old scored 11 goals and created 8 more in 34 games last term. Rashica was a constant threat in the final third, giving nightmares to the opposition defence.

When we compare this with Wilfried Zaha, his returns in terms of goals and assists were extremely poor, especially, taking into account that he is the talisman of the Crustal Palace side. The Ivorian scored 4 goals and assisted another 5 in 39 games last term.

Of course, there will be fans coming up with the argument of stats cannot be the ultimate deciding factor. When it comes to the playing style, Milot Rashica excels even further. The Kosovo international plays predominantly as a left winger in the Werder Bremen set up. But as a left winger, he is never a player who likes to remain on the lines, he mixes it up with drifting inwards and changing wings.

Last season, Milot Rashica played as a left winger, as a second striker, as an attacking midfielder and as a lone centre forward and got goals from all positions. That’s how good he is. He has the capabilities to even play as a right winger.

In short, he can cover all positions in the forward line. The 24 year old being a left winger doesn’t mean I am pushing to displace Richarlison. The whole point is that Rashica is extremely versatile.

Wilfried Zaha on the other hand has also played as a secondary striker apart from his favoured left wing position. However, his impact has dwindled to some extent when he plays as a secondary striker or as a centre forward or on the right wing.

Lastly, we come to the financial side of the things. Crystal Palace will not come in the way of Zaha’s transfer unlike last season when they slapped a price tag of £80 million to ward off Arsenal and Everton. This time around they will still demand upwards of £35 million for the 27 year old.

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Everton have already spent £65 million and spending such big amount on Wilfried Zaha will take their summer splurge to £100 million. Werder Bremen is open to a Milot Rashica sale but will demand £18 million which is far more affordable and reasonable. The 24 year old will be cheaper than Wilfried Zaha and offers more years than the Palace attacker.

Signing Milot Rashica won’t be an easy task as Aston Villa is deeply monitoring the situation and have already made a bid that was rejected by the Germans. However, if Marcel Brands does act quickly and agrees to pay £18 million, Everton will have an absolute gem of a player.

The Carlo Ancelotti project is enticing with the club actually having a blueprint to make it to the top. Whereas at Villa, they will be expecting at best a mid table finish after last season where they were just able to cling on to English Top Flight.

If it comes down to the choice of Milot Rashica, a player of his quality deserves to be a part of something special that’s brewing at Everton rather than play for a club that is desperately fighting the cages of mediocrity. But for any of that to happen, the Toffees will have to make an attempt to sign the 24 year old.