What does the future hold for Crystal Palace’s in-demand winger Wilfried Zaha?

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Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are contemplating a move for Wilfried Zaha in the summer as Crystal Palace look set to open contract negotiations with their in-demand star winger. Indeed, The Guardian are reporting that The Eagles are looking to ward off any potential interest in Zaha by offering the 24-year-old a new long-term contract that will make him the joint highest earner at Selhurst Park.

It is believed that the Ivory Coast international receives £35,000 per week on his current deal but could be set for a significant increase that could potentially be worth in excess of £110,000 on a weekly basis. Christian Benteke and Yohan Cabaye currently top the wage bill and Crystal Palace believe that Zaha could be tempted into confirming his future at the club if the player is offered parity with the other big earners.

However, The Guardian claim that Zaha is keen to test himself at a higher level and has his eye set on playing in the Champions League. This has attracted the attention of some of the leading clubs in England with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City all monitoring the winger’s contract situation at Selhurst Park, whilst Tottenham, who had a £12,000,000 bid for the player rejected in the summer, are also set to revive their interest.

Is a move likely?

Wilfried Zaha’s current contract expires in the summer of 2020 and does not include a release clause, leaving Crystal Palace very much in the driving seat regarding the player’s future. With two-and-a-half years still remaining on the winger’s current deal, The Eagles can afford to bide their time and will be in no rush to sell their prized asset. The absence of a release clause further strengthens the club’s position and means that chairman Steve Parish can play hard-ball in any negotiations with interested parties and could potentially spark a bidding war that would see Palace maximise any profit should they decide to cash in.

A move to Chelsea would seem unlikely at this stage. Zaha is very much a traditional out-and-out winger and it is difficult to see where he would fit into Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 formation. It is questionable whether he would be comfortable playing as a wing back, especially as he is not renowned for the defensive side of his game, whilst the likes of Eden Hazard, Pedro and Willian currently occupy the attacking roles behind Diego Costa. Chelsea will certainly be looking to strengthen in the summer, but they may well have more high-profile names above Zaha on their transfer wish list.

Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he wants to build a Manchester City team that is built on the foundations of youth, dynamism, and pace, with Zaha certainly appearing to fit the bill on paper. Raheem Sterling has exemplified how a young winger can flourish under the new regime at the Etihad and who would not want to work with such a respected and highly rated coach as Guardiola? However, Manchester City has been the death of the careers of many young players who have found their path into the first team blocked by more illustrious personalities (Scott Sinclair, Jack Rodwell etc.). Would Zaha be able to force his way beyond the likes of Sterling, Leroy Sane and David Siva to earn a starting place in Guardiola’s side? You would imagine, after his experience of being stuck in the reserves at Manchester United, that the 24-year-old would want to have some guarantees of regular first team football.

Arsenal are also reported to be interested in securing the signature of Zaha, although much would depend on the future of Arsene Wenger and any potential fallout that will follow his decision on whether to accept a new contract. Should the Frenchman leave, then a new manager may have different transfer targets that he would want to chase. However, should Wenger continue his stay at The Emirates Stadium then Zaha could well fit the bill, especially if the Arsenal team undergoes a complete overhaul in the summer. It is worth noting that The Gunners are notorious penny-pinchers when it comes to transfer negotiations and might find it difficult to agree a fee with Crystal Palace, especially in the absence of a release clause in Zaha’s current deal.

Tottenham Hotspur made a £12,000,000 offer for Zaha in the summer but saw their bid rejected by their London rivals. Mauricio Pochettino is slowly starting to build a young, dynamic team that is capable of challenging for silverware and the pace of Zaha would fit perfectly into the current system employed at White Hart Lane. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is a master negotiator and will have plenty of money to spend after receiving the financial windfall of competing in this season’s Champions League. It is more than likely that the North East London side will revive their interest in Zaha in the summer.

Verdict

There will undoubtedly be a host of clubs that will be interesting in securing the services of Wilfried Zaha in the summer and Crystal Palace will be preparing themselves for the transfer bids that they will receive when the season finishes in May. However, The Eagles are in a strong position with the winger’s contract not set to expire until 2020 and the absence of a release clause putting them in a perfect position to maximise any profit should they decide to cash in.

No one could blame Zaha for wanting to compete at the highest level that he possibly can but you have to wonder whether his experience amongst the reserves at Manchester United will dissuade him from joining a club such as Chelsea or Manchester City, where first team football could be limited. At this stage of his career would it be better for the 24-year-old to sit amongst the substitutes every week at Stamford Bridge or the Etihad, or to be playing week-in-week-out with Crystal Palace?  With this in mind, a move to Tottenham Hotspur or Arsenal would, on paper, be more beneficial – although the uncertainty around the future of Arsene Wenger could derail any potential move to The Gunners.

Therefore a move to Tottenham would appear to fit the bill. Zaha would fit in perfectly with Mauricio Pochettino’s young, dynamic team and he would certainly be more likely to find first-team football at White Hart Lane than at another club that already has a host of wide players on their books. However, there is nothing to say that the 24-year-old would want to sacrifice regular football at Selhurst Park where he is well-respected, a favourite amongst supporters and could be earning in excess of £110,000 per week.

Featured Image: All Rights Reserved Gordon Judge (Gordon Judge)