Wilfried Zaha brother makes huge plea after £40m Arsenal approach

Crystal Palace should not stand in Wilfried Zaha’s way and grant him his dream of playing for Arsenal, according to the Ivory Coast winger’s brother.

Ivory Coast striker Zaha is said to be keen to quit Selhurst Park this summer with the Gunners strong admirers and in light of reports suggesting Arsenal had launched a £40million bid for the Eagles forward.

Palace have already sold Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United in a deal rising to £50million and it is unlikely they will want to lose Zaha, despite reports it would take a fee of around £55million to even persuade the Eagles to open talks.

And his brother admits Zaha is desperate to sign for the Gunners and sign for the club he supported as a boy.

“Given all that Wilfried has given to Crystal Palace to help them remain a Premier League club, I hope Palace will be able to see their way to agreeing a deal with Arsenal that allows Wilfried to realise his dream of playing European football for the club he’s supported since childhood,” Judicael Zaha told Sky Sports.

“Wilfried will always hold Crystal Palace and their fans in the highest regard and all the support they have given means the world to him.

“It’s my brother’s dream though, to play for Arsenal.”

Zaha scored in the Ivory Coast’s 4-1 Africa Cup of Nations win over Namibia on Monday to help them reach the last 16.

He netted 10 goals for Palace last season and has made 285 appearances for them in two spells.

He joined Manchester United in 2013 but played just four times, also spending a spell on loan at Cardiff, before returning to the Eagles less than two years later. United retained their 20% sell-on clause in Zaha’s contract as part of the negotiations that took Wan-Bissaka to Old Trafford at the weekend.

 

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