The stunning £35m striker deal that could complete West Ham's mighty transfer window in style

After just one season, Wilfried Zaha is reportedly eager to return to the Premier League. He has been seen on social media clashing with Galatasaray fans who are questioning his loyalty to the club that brought him to Turkish football. However, in the midst of adversity, there may be a great opportunity.

Crystal Palace has been briefly linked with Zaha, given that he’s their greatest-ever player and will always be associated with the club. But nothing makes more sense than West Ham looking at the numbers and deciding to go for Zaha. He could be the ultimate signing this summer, offering something none of the current forwards at the club have: versatility.

Zaha is a versatile forward who can play on either wing or as a central striker. This flexibility would allow West Ham to deploy him in various attacking setups, whether it's a 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, or 3-4-3 formation. His ability to adapt to different roles provides the manager with more tactical options.

Then there’s his Premier League experience. Not many players from mid-table teams have Zaha’s numbers—he has scored 68 Premier League goals while playing for Crystal Palace, so he knows how to find the back of the net. Manager Julen Lopetegui would have another valuable asset to complement Niclas Füllkrug, the German striker who joined the club this summer to help lead the line.

One of Zaha’s most valuable qualities is his hunger and determination. He is one of those players who brings out the best in others. I remember covering him under Patrick Vieira and often asked him how his talisman behaves behind the scenes. His response was always: “He wants to win.”

Patrick Vieira was the captain of the famous Arsenal Invincible team and is highly regarded as one of the best midfielders in Premier League history and even he knows that it's in Zaha’s DNA to always want to win.

The secret to success is the desire to push yourself further, even when others believe they’ve reached their limits. Zaha demands that all the players around him improve, and that kind of mentality is essential if you want to achieve remarkable success.

Zaha also possesses the rare gift of experience in high-pressure games at both ends of the table. He has been involved in relegation battles, promotion games where mistakes are costly, and even played in the Champions League. This breadth of experience shows the kind of career he’s had.

He knows exactly what works and what doesn’t, and managers value players like this who have had to work hard to reach the level they’re at.

Although he went to Galatasaray on a big wage with a three-year deal, a fee of £35 million or even less could be enough to bring him back to the Premier League. Zaha would be a great addition to West Ham, the kind of signing that fans would really love.