It's always felt like one of the transfers that would be talked about but never achieved. Right in the leagues of Hulk or Edinson Cavani - when he was younger. Now, Wilfried Zaha is making his annual trip into Chelsea's head as Thomas Tuchel looks for more attackers to strengthen his frontline.
The Ivorian had another productive season for Crystal Palace last term, scoring 14 for a team that only managed 50 in the league. He is 29 now but that wouldn't bother Tuchel who not only wants to add experience, but also quality and Premier League-proven class to his XI.
Zaha has been back at Palace for nine years since his failed move to Manchester United and every summer he is linked with a move to Chelsea, but there's a chance that it has never made more sense than now, depending on the money involved.
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The versatile attacker fits a lot of the needs to play for Tuchel, he is dynamic, quick, an in-league buy, and relatively clinical - outscoring his xG by five goals last campaign. He is also someone that wouldn't need to adapt to his surroundings. That is what has made Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling so attractive.
Although the sums regarding Zaha have always seemed lofty, sometimes even hitting the heights of £100m, if there was a deal to be done this summer then it might make sense. Zaha has just one year left on his current deal and could be open to a move away next summer, though a transfer this summer is the only real option for the Blues. They are about to lose Timo Werner, one of the worst transfers they have made, and Todd Boehly could reasonably sanction the departures of Hakim Ziyech and possibly even Christian Pulisic if a decent offer came in. That would leave the Blues light up front.
As Callum Hudson-Odoi joins the departure crew, he too might be destined with a future away from Stamford Bridge, further depleting Tuchel's options again. The worrying thing is that there aren't a host of players waiting to join. Zaha is on a small list of realistic targets for the final three weeks of the window, and saying that he is realistic might be a stretch.
Boehly has been so tied up with bringing in new defenders, and he still is as Wesley Fofana projects himself up to the number one target spot, that the forward line has gone on the back burner for most of the window, but with the acceleration of Werner's move away and now the rush for other unhappy players to leave, they could be in need of a replacement soon.
One of the names linked had been 19-year-old Benjamin Sesko. The Slovenian winger already has one goal and one assist this season on top of his eight contributions as an 18-year-old last year. Currently playing for Red Bull Salzburg, he had attracted Manchester United and Chelsea, but he is set to go down a different route according to Fabrizio Romano, one in which he will meet up with Werner.
The transfer guru tweeted, "RB Leipzig are closing on a deal to sign Benjamin Sesko for summer 2023! RB Salzburg have rejected the proposal for this summer, Šeško is happy to stay for one more year. Leipzig are now closing on a deal for Šeško to join in 2023, could be done this week."
That is one more player unavailable to Chelsea this summer, and with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also on their list, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo who still remains an option as the clock ticks down, Zaha has made his timely appearance on Chelsea's radar.
There is nothing yet to suggest that a transfer is even possible, but with Boehly's cash and the chance for one final big move for Zaha, stranger things have happened in the market.
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