Arsenal has been handed a blow in their pursuit of Wilfried Zaha, as the attacker now looks set to stay.Crystal Palace has been keen to get him on a new contract, but he seems intent on leaving them for a new team.
However, the Eagles are refusing to give up on keeping him and their manager, Patrick Vieira, has revealed the attacker is expected to hold talks over an extension and stay. He said via The Sun:
“Wilfried knows what the club think about him, and we know what he thinks about the club. There will be discussions taking place [over a new contract] but for myself and for the club what is important is for him to play at this level and to be consistent and to help those young players around him to grow and we will see what will happen.”
Zaha’s contract expires at the end of the season, meaning he’ll be able to join a top side on a free transfer, and there should be plenty of interest in his signature as he continues to impress in front of goal for the Eagles.The forward has five goals and one assist in the Premier League so far this season and scored the winning goal against Wolves last time out – showing just how crucial he is to Patrick Vieira at Selhurst Park.
Zaha started his career with Palace at the age of 12, emerging as one of the club’s brightest ever talents before departing for Manchester United in 2013.
He spent two years at Old Trafford but was immediately loaned to Cardiff and later returned to Palace in 2015 – where he has been ever since. He’s played 296 times in his second spell, scoring 70 times. Last season was Zaha’s best ever goalscoring season – netting 15 goals.
Arsenal, Chelsea as well as Roma were eyeing Zaha during the summer transfer window.
The 29-year-old has long held ambition to play in the Champions League after his disappointing stint with Manchester United almost a decade ago.
The Gunners have been keeping tabs on the Ivory Coast international since 2019 when former manager Unai Emery considered him a priority before the club opted for record signing Nicolas Pepe.
