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  • Borussia Dortmund linked with Crystal Palace's Zaha - but is he really the best option for BVB?

    BVB sporting director Michael Zorc

    Current Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund are in a scintillating run of form this season with a very impressive record of 20 wins, 4 draws, and only 2 losses in 26 matches under the management of Swiss coach Lucien Favre.

    The German team have been impregnable in defence and their attack looks very dangerous - with their wingers being a constant threat every time they play.

    Borussia Dortmund currently have a number of quality wingers with names like Raphael Guerreiro, Marius Wolf, Jadon Sancho, Jacob Bruun Larsen, and Christian Pulisic at their disposal.

    The latter though has signed for Premier League side Chelsea for a pretty astounding fee of £57.60million and is immediately loaned back to the German club for the rest of the season.

    Meanwhile, Dortmund are currently in search for a replacement for Chelsea-bound Pulisic, and several wingers have been linked with Der BVB.

    The latest winger who has been linked recently with a move to Germany is Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha.

    The Guardian reports that Die Schwarzgelben are even willing to scratch deep into their pockets and break their record transfer fee to sign the Ivorian winger.

    It is said that initial talks have been held between the representatives of both clubs but Crystal Palace are likely to demand a fee of more than £50million for the forward who only recently committed his future by signing a new contract that runs until 2023.

    Wilfried Zaha himself has struggled to replicate his fine form last season as he only managed to 3 goals and created 4 more in 21 occasions that he has played in across all competitions this season.

    Zaha is naturally a winger who is able to play on either side of the wing - and is quite versatile as he has proven to be able to play as a centre-forward, shadow striker, or an attacking midfielder.

    The 26-year-old is mainly right-footed but has a decent left-foot.

    Wilfried Zaha is with no doubt a player of high quality. He is quick and agile, able to play anywhere up-front, creative, and technically proficient. He may not seem so impressive in terms of statistics, but his dribbling and trickery are always pleasing in the eye.

    But is he really the best option for Dortmund?

    Borussia Dortmund have been linked with other names as well since the announcement of Pulisic transfer with Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi, Manchester City's Rabbi Matondo, and even Borussia Monchengladbach's Thorgan Hazard.

    Dortmund don't necessarily need to buy a replacement for Christian Pulisic as they still have more-than-capable options in the likes of Guerreiro, Bruun Larsen, Sancho, and Wolf. Marco Reus and Maximilian Philipp can also play on the wings if either of the two is not playing as a centre-forward or attacking midfielder.

    But we're going to assess some options that Dortmund have at this moment.

    1. Callum Hudson-Odoi


    Callum Hudson-Odoi has been linked with Dortmund for quite some time. Dortmund were looking to do a Hudson-Odoi - Pulisic swap before, but that didn't work. Chelsea value the 18-year-old very highly and are looking for an offer of around at least £35million for the England youth international.

    Bayern Munich are rumoured to be leading the race and are moving closer and closer to sign him though and the player himself said that he's keen on joining the Bundesliga champions.

    Dortmund can still launch a bid, but the player may choose the other option.

    2. Rabbi Matondo


    Rabbi Matondo has been linked with German trio Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Borussia Monchengladbach and it appears that Die Roten are also leading the race to sign the Welsh prospect.

    He is valued at around £10million which is not really that expensive considering his impressive current level of skill and the potential that he has.

    Whether or not Dortmund will make an offer we shall see.

    3. Thorgan Hazard


    Thorgan Hazard has been linked with clubs like AS Roma, Liverpool, Everton, Chelsea, and of course, Dortmund.

    The Belgium international, who is the brother of Eden Hazard is a highly-regarded player and his current club may ask for a fee around £31million or more.

    The 25-year-old winger can also play as an attacking midfielder and a central midfielder. He has also been deployed as a shadow striker on several occasions.

    Borussia Dortmund will be getting a much more polished player if they manage to sign Hazard and the Belgian playmaker still will command a much-lesser transfer fee than the potential transfer of Zaha.

    Borussia Dortmund have surpassed their transfer records several years ago with Andre Schurrle coming in from VfL Wolfsburg for €30million (£26million). That transfer proved to be somewhat an unpopular decision with many football fans and experts questioning the move.

    Dortmund taking Zaha for £50million will be a fairly dubious decision too as many questions will be asked regarding the player's potential and consistency.

    Wilfried Zaha is a great player but with little doubt will not be the best deal for Dortmund. Some will say otherwise though.
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