Newcastle lead Wilfried Zaha chase but Alan Pardew’s priorities are all wrong

Wilfried Zaha looks on during the 2015 UEFA European U21 Championships Qualifier between England U21 and Moldova U21 at The Madejski Stadium on September 05, 2013 in Reading, England, (Getty Images)

Reports in the Daily Star are linking Wilfried Zaha with a loan move away from Manchester United in the January transfer window and Newcastle look to be leading the chase for the 20-year-old England international.

Yet to make his debut in the Premier League, Zaha would favour a move away from Old Trafford in order to find his feet in the league and improve his, now very slim, chances of being on the plane to Brazil next summer.

The Tyneside club have been labelled as front-runners in the race to sign the former Crystal Palace man, but with Hatem Ben Arfa and Loic Remy arguably the best performers at St. James’ Park this season, Alan Pardew should look to prioritise strengthening other areas if money is available.

Despite an emphatic start to his Newcastle United career, Papiss Cisse has been struggling for form ever since the start of last season and finished the whole of that campaign with a woeful return of just 8 league goals.

Papiss Cisse’s 2012/13 season in summary

It wasn’t for a lack of trying as the Senegalese forward finished in the top 10 for shots attempted throughout the 2012/13 campaign. Shots don’t guarantee goals, however, and Cisse could not replicate his early form for the club as he finished the season with a 10.5% chance conversion rate.

As Alan Pardew looks to build a side reminiscent of Kevin Keegan’s famous ‘Entertainers’ side from the 90s, he needs to add a clinical striker to compliment the rest of his attacking unit. Remy and Ben Arfa have both turned in match-winning displays this season and with Yoann Gouffran now adjusting to life in the Premier League it would be foolish to bring in another winger when a striker to rival Cisse is desperately needed.

Many might have thought Cisse was exactly what the fans were looking for after the glorious start to his Premier League career, but his erratic displays of late are a cause for concern for Pardew who needs all the help he can get at the moment.

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