Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace has a shot saved by Alisson Becker of Liverpool as Nat Phillips watches on. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
According to Telegraph Football via a tweet from Football Transfers, (h/t Football.London), Crystal Palace are unlikely to sanction a sale for their star man and Chelsea target Wilfried Zaha because of the fact that it is so late in the transfer window and the player is of utmost importance to the Eagles.
Zaha has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge this summer, but there has been no bid sent to Selhurst Park from Chelsea. Blues transfer expert Simon Phillips (h/t Football.London) did confirm a few days ago that the Ivory Coast international could be available for a bargain fee of £25m.
The 29-year-old is a veteran at Palace after getting released from Manchester United. He arrived at the south London club in 2014 and has been with them since.
A total of 86 goals and 73 assists in 433 appearances in all competitions is some return in a team that usually finishes mid-to-lower mid-table in the league and doesn’t score truck loads of goals.
More than his numbers, Zaha’s consistency season after season has been a thing to admire. He prefers to operate on the left wing but has done well leading the line as well. Just ask Liverpool defenders how good he was playing up top at Anfield this past week.
There is a reason why in every summer window, the Ivorian international is linked with some of the top clubs in England and Europe.
At 29, he is at an age where the peak years of his game are ongoing. It may last for another two to three years before he would be expected to decline on a physical level. So, Chelsea could have taken a gamble with a cut-price offer earlier in the window.
But, looking at the options the Blues have got, especially in wide areas after the arrival of Raheem Sterling, they have plenty in there. Likes of Kai Havertz, Sterling, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Mason Mount are there to cover that position.
It is the centre-forward they are searching for. Hence, it makes sense as to why they didn’t break any neck to get Zaha.
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