Everton offer record-breaking fee for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha

Everton have made a bid for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha which would see the club smash their record transfer fee.

There is some debate over the actual size of the fee, though, with the Daily Mail’s Dominic King reporting it is £52 million, while Sky Sources say it is £55 million.

Either way, should the Blues pull off a deal for Zaha, 26, it will certainly cost them more than the £45 million paid Swansea City for their record signing, Gylfi Sigurðsson, in August 2017.

A player-plus-cash offer had been suggested earlier this week, with striker Cenk Tosun, midfielder James McCarthy and former Palace winger Yannick Bolasie all having been linked with moves in the opposite direction to Zaha.

But reports suggest that this is a straight cash offer from Everton, with none of their fringe players involved as a part-exchange deal.

Zaha, who has scored 53 goals in 323 Palace appearances, has already informed the club of his desire to leave this summer, was the subject of strong interest from Arsenal.

But after the Gunners’ £40 million bid was rejected earlier this month, they turned their attentions to Lille’s Nicolas Pépé, who they are now set to sign for £72 million.

He has also been linked with a move to Chelsea, but would not be eligible to play for Frank Lampard’s side until next season once the club has served a two-window transfer ban.

Zaha began his career at Palace, before joining Manchester United for £15 million when he was 20 years old.

After a difficult spell at Old Trafford, making just four appearances, he returned to Palace in August 2014, initially on loan before making the move permanent.

Despite the Eagles supposedly valuing him at £80 million, though, it seems Zaha has his mind set elsewhere, with Everton set to test Palace’s resolve with this latest bid.