Iwobi out, Zaha in? Ex-Tottenham striker Bent urges Everton to make switch

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent has urged Everton to sign Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha as a replacement for Alex Iwobi.

The Toffees signed the Nigeria international on transfer deadline day last summer for £34 million after they failed in their bid to secure the signing of the Ivory Coast star.

Iwobi struggled to make his mark for the Goodison Park outfit on his arrival at the club due to injury, and other factors which also limited his playing time.

 The former Arsenal forward managed two goals and provided one assist in 25 appearances during his debut campaign with the club.

The versatile Super Eagles star, who can also play in midfield, has featured prominently on the wing for the Toffees.

Zaha is an influential member of the Eagles squad and played a pivotal role as Palace avoided relegation from the Premier League in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

The forward, however, was far from his best last campaign, scoring four goals and providing three assists in 38 league appearances.

Notwithstanding, Bent feels the Ivory Coast international would add more values to the Toffees than Iwobi, whom he described as ineffective.

“I think he’s definitely a signing that they need. Whether he takes them to the next level I’m not quite sure yet. His stats last season would suggest probably not, they weren’t great,” Bent told Football Insider when asked of Zaha.

“I mean four assists and five goals for someone of his quality isn’t great and it doesn’t really inspire you with confidence where you start thinking: ‘We’ve got him, we’ve got the guy that’s going to drag this team to the verge of Champions League football.’

“He’s definitely a signing that they need because they need people with quality. For me, Alex Iwobi doesn’t do it for me.

“His end product’s not good enough, he doesn’t score enough goals, doesn’t create enough goals so he’s not really doing anything.

“For me, if Zaha can get himself down there and play on the left-hand side with Richarlison, [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin, [Andre] Gomes, I really like what they’re doing down there. If I’m Everton, I go for that one 100 per cent.”

Everton are believed to be interested in signing Zaha in the summer while Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco have also been linked with the winger.