Aston Villa Are Keen On Recruiting This Experienced Winger: What Will He Bring To Villa Park? | OneFootball

In a recent report, Takvim claimed that Aston Villa are keen on recruiting Galatasaray winger Wilfried Zaha this summer. It has been stated that the Villans would have to rival West Ham United in the race to sign the Ivory Coast attacker later this year.

Zaha has put in a series of impressive displays for the Turkish outfit in the final third but has struggled to be consistent with his productivity up top. The Ivory Coast sensation has scored ten goals and grabbed five assists in 39 appearances for Galatasaray this season across all fronts.

The 31-year-old has caught the eye in the opposition half by averaging 1.7 shots, 0.8 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the Turkish Super Lig. He has even distributed the ball relatively well after making 79.2% of his attempted passes in the Turkish top tier (stats via whoscored).

His current contract at Galatasaray will run out in the summer of 2026 which could make it tough for the Villans to sign him on the cheap at the end of this season.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY – APRIL 2: Wilfried Zaha of Galatasaray is challenged by Kerim Alici of Hatayspor during the Turkish Super League match between Galatasaray and Hatayspor Rams Park on April 2, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

What Will Zaha Bring To Aston Villa?

Zaha has got the pace to cause a lot of problems for his marker out in the wide areas. He is a good dribbler with the ball at his feet and has got the eye to set up some inviting chances for his teammates up top.

The Ivory Coast international can even strike the ball with venom and accuracy from long range. He is primarily a left-sided wide player but can also operate as a right-winger or as a centre-forward if asked to do so.

We can expect Zaha to bring more pace and goals to Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery’s attack. He is good enough to fight for a regular first-team spot at the West Midlands club in the coming seasons.

Zaha has got a wealth of experience in Premier League football and won’t take much time to settle into life at Villa Park. At 31, he might still have a few good years left in him to play at a high level. Thus, it makes sense for the Villans to try and sign Zaha on a short-term contract later this summer.