Pundit offers new take on Zaha future as Palace eye new additions
A leading journalist has dropped a big hint that Wilfried Zaha will not be leaving Crystal Palace this summer and will continue to ply his trade for the club.
The annual summer discussion about where the Ivory Coast winger will be next season has already begun. The usual suspects of Arsenal and Tottenham have been joined by Everton but, to date, there have been no bids. Zaha has now completed his seventh season of a second spell with the Eagles.
Having come up through the club’s youth system, he made more than 100 league appearances before leaving for Manchester United in 2013. However, things did not work out at Old Trafford and he played just four times in all competitions.
A loan move to Swansea City followed before he returned to Selhurst Park. United’s loss was certainly Palace’s gain as the African has taken his game to a new level with the south Londoners.
He is the undoubted talisman of the side and the source of many of their goals. Not surprisingly, many big clubs have been linked over the years.
It seemed as though he would join the Gunners in the summer of 2019 but a deal failed to materialise. But he is still keen to move on, as revealed in an interview with The Times.
However Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge is not so sure. He feels the fact the club is moving in the right direction might cause the wide man to have a change of heart.
“I’d be very surprised to see Zaha leave, he would probably like a new challenge, but at the same time, he’s kind of got one,” he told Football FanCast.
“He’s got Patrick Vieira coming in, Joachim Andersen has just joined from Lyon, Olise, they want to sign more players.”
Zaha part of Vieira revolution
Patrick Vieira was a shock choice to succeed Roy Hodgson as Palace boss. The former France international was a superstar in his playing days.
But he had only coached at MLS side New York City FC and French club Nice. He is now back in the Premier League and ready to do battle with the big boys.
The former Arsenal star has also brought in defender Marc Guehi from Chelsea. He seems ambitious to build on the work done by Hodgson and take the club even higher.
Zaha would be a big part of his plans as he is the one player who can unlock defences out of nowhere. He may still leave but there is now more reason than ever to remain at Selhurst Park.
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