West Ham Target Manchester United Ace

We all know Sam Allardyce loves getting players on loan, so it was only a matter of time before we were linked with every loan player in the country. This week’s featured link comes courtesy of most of the major newspapers, who have all reported that we are hot on the hunt for another striker – and that our interest is now geared towards Wilfried Zaha (with the Mirror describing our rumoured bid as ‘audacious.’)

Zaha is a 20 year old winger and striker who made his senior debut for Crystal Palace in 2010. He has played for Crystal Palace since then, making 143 appearances and scoring 18 goals. He was signed by Manchester United in January 2013, and immediately loaned back to Palace so he could see out their successful promotion season (including scoring the goal in the play-off final that promoted them.)

The word on the street is that Zaha is available to be loaned out yet again, but will not return to his former club. Zaha was one of Alex Fergusson’s last signings, and it is not yet clear how he will fit into the plans of new manager David Moyes. It would also be beneficial for Zaha to gain some experience playing in the Premier League as he’s never before played in a top flight game. Going on loan to another club would be a good way for him to ensure he’s playing regular first time football, as he’s unlikely to jump straight into Man United’s first team.

He’s certainly a talented player. Watching Zaha in the Play-Off final was a show case of the player’s charms; he was the only bright spark in a rather dire football match in which neither team looked up to playing in the Premier League (I was half hoping the ref would just stop play, and keep both teams in the Championship, but alas- it wasn’t to be.)

We could use his pace and ball skills- although he has just been part of the disappointing England U-21 side which crashed out of the U-21 Euros (gives Hodgson something to look forward to in a few years time, no?)

I wouldn’t be against us bringing Zaha in, but I’m surprised we’d be linked with a player who’s scored less and has less Premier League experience than a similar player who’s wages we are already paying. The barely-mentioned Modibo Maiga has featured in 16 games for West Ham and scored 4 goals- which gives him a much higher goals per games ratio than Zaha has on his CV.

I’m also not sure how exactly Zaha would fit into our current style of play. He’s certainly an enigmatic and smart player, but I’m not completely convinced about the potential paring of him with he-who-has-been-over-named-and-might-not-sign-anyway. Zaha really came into his own at Palace when he was moved from winger to striker, but I have a feeling that a certain giant Geordie might be part of a lone striker system yet again this year- which would put Zaha further out on the wing and slightly out of his preferred position (although he would still be an attacking winger, which he is capable of being.)

The man can play, and can certainly score goals. What he lacks in top flight experience he makes up for in talent, so for that reason, I wouldn’t mind Big Sam bringing him in as the second striker David Gold stated we needed. However, we will have to be prepared to train up and give experience to a player who will not stay with us. He will benefit from playing with us, but then he will leave and head back to his 5 ½ year contract at Man Utd. For that reason, I would rather see us invest the time and team building into someone we know will be an investment, instead of a stop-gap striker.

Call me crazy, but I’d rather see us invest the time and effort in making Maiga a mainstay in the first team. Now that’s audacious.

Emily Pulham is on twitter @makingthemarrow