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Tottenham eyeing another Wanyama like summer transfer

By Rucker Haringey

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 11: Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace appeals to an assistant referee during the Premier League match between Stoke City and Crystal Palace at Bet365 Stadium on February 11, 2017 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images)
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 11: Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace appeals to an assistant referee during the Premier League match between Stoke City and Crystal Palace at Bet365 Stadium on February 11, 2017 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Getty Images) /
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Tottenham may profit from another Premier League purchase

Last summer, not many Tottenham fans were all that excited when Spurs agreed to purchase Victor Wanyama from Southampton. The purchase of the Kenyan destroyer has turned out to be the club’s best move of the window. Mauricio Pochettino and company will look to follow that formula again this summer.

Instead of a rugged defensive midfielder, this summer Spurs will be looking for a dynamic attacker. The target of Pochettino’s affection will be Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha.

The Express are reporting that Palace value the former United star at about £25 million. It’s doubtful that Tottenham will agree to meet the Eagles’ full valuation. Instead, look for the two clubs to potentially compromise at a fee of somewhere between £15 and £20 million.

That might be a few million pounds more than Spurs paid for Wanyama, but the price difference is easily explained by the premium value attached to attacking players. Simply put, proven Premier League goal scorers cost more than accomplished Premier League defensive midfielders.

Even if Tottenham are able to sign Zaha, don’t expect the Tottenham faithful to celebrate en mass. Plenty of Spurs supporters were very skeptical of a potential move for the pacey winger when it was brought up as  a possibility in January. Many fans don’t see Zaha as a real difference maker.

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It’s eerily similar to how many Tottenham fans thought Wanyama wasn’t a necessary purchase. After all, Spurs already had Eric Dier and Mousa Dembele. How would they ever need another player to man the double-pivot? Of course, that statement is dripping with sarcasm. Pochettino’s club would have been in big trouble without Wanyama in the middle of the pitch this season.

The club’s need for another attacker is much more obvious. You won’t find many Tottenham fans who don’t think Pochettino needs to add another attacking midfielder or two this summer. They just would prefer to purchase a player with more perceived upside than Zaha.

Those fans happen to be wrong. Zaha may have flopped at Manchester United, but he’s shown his true ability at Palace. He’s managed to be an effective attacker at a club without a tremendous amount of attacking talent around him. Just imagine how he’d look playing alongside the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli on a regular basis.

Next: Tottenham swap Winks for Bentaleb

Tottenham don’t need to purchase superstars this summer. Instead, they need to continue to add effective players who can thrive in Pochettino’s system. Wilfried Zaha is just that sort of player. Adding him could be just as effective as adding Victor Wanyama was this past offseason.

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