Robbie Walls
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has revealed he’s ‘surprised’ that Europe’s top sides haven’t made a bid for the club’s wantaway star Wilfried Zaha.
The Ivory Coast international has been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park in what seems like every transfer window over the past few seasons, having excelled after returning to Palace following a failed spell at Manchester United.
The 27-year-old was heavily linked with an exit last summer, the likes of Everton and Arsenal looking certain to snap up the forward before Palace’s £80m valuation appeared to scare off any interested parties.
That transfer speculation seemingly took its toll on Zaha, with the player enduring an underwhelming 2019/20 campaign in which he recorded just seven goal contributions – a real disappointment having achieved 15 the previous season.
That sharp drop in form, as well as the current economic climate, has seemingly put off a number of potential suitors and although Zaha has asked to leave again this summer, the club would no doubt happy to keep their main man, with former England manager Hodgson acknowledging it is a ‘frustrating’ situation for all involved.
“It is a little bit frustrating.,” Hodgson told a press conference on Friday. ”It would be nice to have Wilf with us without this cloud that hangs over him – is he really going to stay with us or are we going to have to wave goodbye to him?
“I am surprised that we do not get more people knocking on our door who are willing to pay a sensible price for him because I think he is such a good player.
“And I think he finds it frustrating sometimes that we are not having to turn down offers every single day from some of the top clubs in the country and the world because he thinks he has the ability to play there and I think so too.
“But all the time he is with us working with me I am delighted. I enjoy working with him enormously, admire his talent and of course he helps us win football matches.”
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