Who is Eberechi Eze? The coup for Crystal Palace who can replace Zaha

Having already agreed a deal for former West Brom full-back, Crystal Palace's transfer intent has been rubberstamped following the arrival of Eberechi Eze.

In recruiting some of the top young talent from the second tier to bring down the average age of a squad that desperately needs fresh legs and imagination, the Eagles are going about their business the right way.

Palace ended the previous campaign in dire form after all, and will no doubt enter the new one among the favourites for relegation as a result. They ended a seven-game losing streak with a draw on the final day against Tottenham but in truth that dose of reality may well have been needed.

The acquisition of Eze in particular is in response to their downward spiral, and while many will feel the 22-year-old will ultimately serve as a replacement for wantaway Wilf Zaha, even if that proves to be the case Palace couldn't realistically have signed a better one.

Of course, we only have Championship stats to go by and the step up is stark, but at his age, Eze is a huge prospect and offers some assets that even Zaha cannot.

Whilst capable of operating from either flank, Eze's ability to play from a more central position will offer a team lacking creativity and flair in that department a significant boost. Understandably renowned for his agility and skill, the youngster completed more dribbles than any other player in the regular season (136), which is no mean feat when up against the likes of Said Benrahma.

It is, however, his composure on the ball and willingness to pick a pass thereafter that is perhaps most commendable for a player of his age. A pass accuracy of 85.6 per cent from an attacking midfielder is superb at any level, and the best in the Championship of those to play an advanced role.

There is an end product too, with 14 goals and eight assists to his name, while no Championship player earned more WhoScored.com man of the match awards (10). He's used to the sort of responsibility that Zaha carries too, as the go to guy for inspiration in an otherwise functional team at QPR.

While Palace fans would no doubt love to see both line up in the same XI - still a distinct possibility given the fee the club will likely demand for Zaha - the latter's statistics from last season certainly suggest that he is not irreplaceable. If Eze is to step into the fan favourites shoes, he's more than capable of filling them.

So, if Eze is so good, why has we wound up at Palace, with all due respect to the Eagles? Well, the youngster was reportedly adamant that he wanted to stay in his home city. There was plenty of interest elsewhere, but remaining in London was the priority, and guaranteed first team football was another.

That restricted the field of play substantially, and it's a stance that should benefit the club handsomely. Whether he has effectively been recruited as a replacement for Zaha or to add another dimension to the attack alongside the winger, Eberechi Eze is a big cop for Crystal Palace.