Despite keeping Zaha, Crystal Palace’s major transfer error has set them up for a tough season

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Crystal Palace fans and manager Roy Hodgson will all be delighted that Wilfried Zaha has remained at Selhurst Park. There was plenty of interest in the winger over the course of the summer transfer window. Arsenal and Everton both made offers for the 26-year-old. The nine-cap Ivory Coast international even handed in a transfer request to the Eagles. 

However, an exit was not forthcoming for Zaha, and Crystal Palace were able to hang on to their talisman. The attacker’s importance to the south London club can hardly be overstated. Last season, he scored ten goals and registered ten assists in the Premier League. In the previous campaign he provided nine goals and five assists. Without his influence, Crystal Palace would almost certainly have suffered relegation.

Even with his services retained though, the Eagles could still face a tough time avoiding the drop this season. This is due to their failure to sign a reliable striker this summer. They paid £2.5 million for Jordan Ayew. The Ghanaian spent last season on loan with the club, but could only manage one league goal. He hardly represents a prolific replacement for Michy Batshuayi, whose loan stay from Chelsea has come to an end. 

Hodgson cannot rely on the likes of Christian Benteke or Connor Wickham to score the goals needed for survival either. The former has only managed four league strikes in the last two seasons. The latter is perpetually injured. 

Crystal Palace’s move to sign CSKA Moscow forward Fedor Chalov this summer came to nothing. Signing a striker was a must for Crystal Palace this summer. In light of this failure to bring in a new goalscorer, the Eagles are facing a very difficult season. This time around, survival might be beyond them, despite Zaha’s ongoing presence.