Pundit makes bold Wilfried Zaha prediction involving Tottenham and Arsenal

By Lee Connor

BBC pundit Pat Nevin has claimed that both Tottenham and Arsenal would be better teams for adding Wilfried Zaha to the ranks.

Zaha has long been linked with a move away from Palace but he remains at Selhurst Park. He is starring under the guidance of Patrick Vieira, with Zaha widely regarded as Palace’s key player.

Whether or not anyone makes a move for Zaha, remains to be seen. But speaking to the BBC ahead of Arsenal v Tottenham today, Pat Nevin believes Zaha is a player who’d strengthen both sides.

“I look at it in terms of who in the Premier League wouldn’t take Zaha for free? Maybe Man City wouldn’t. Chelsea would because they take everyone in that position. He would probably strengthen Arsenal and Tottenham,” Nevin said.

“I suspect a hell of a lot would be available for him if he sticks it out in January. He was the main man at Palace but he struggled at Man United when he wasn’t the main man. I think sometimes those sort of players struggle when they are not the core player and they are slightly fringe which doesn’t suit them as well.”

Zaha can leave Palace for nothing in the summer. The Eagles, then, could be tempted to cash in in January should a bid come along. Palace had previously valued Zaha at the £80m mark but accept any sale now will be a fraction of that.

TBR’s View: Zaha should try and test himself once again

No disrespect to Crystal Palace, but Zaha surely has a point to prove to himself in terms of doing it for a club playing in or challenging for Europe.

His spell at United as a young man didn’t go all too well. But that was many moons again, and Zaha has more than proved himself a top PL player since then.

Spurs and Arsenal both need an extra attacking player. Nevin, then, is right that Zaha brings a lot to the table for both.