Zaha’s has signed a new contract with Crystal Palace after speculation linking him with moves to Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund, and Chelsea.
Wilfried Zaha and Crystal Palace announced a new contract on Wednesday, committing the winger to the club for five years and making him the highest paid player at the club, according to the Guardian.
Zaha was consistently linked with a move away from Palace this summer but the Guardian claims that no formal offer was made by any of his potential suitors – although the interest in a player who performed so well last season would certainly have been there.
The long-term deal gives Palace what they needed most from their star asset as they now have a guarantee of something to build on over the next few years.
Roy Hodgson has performed wonders at Selhurst Park, taking a team that had zero points and goals from their first four games and eventually finishing 11th. Now, he needs to be able to progress the team as far as it can go.
Keeping hold of Zaha has given Hodgson that luxury for this season at least, but keeping their key player for another four years afterwards would mean that Palace could look up the table and plan long-term.
Even if the 25-year-old is eventually sold, his contract guarantees Palace a large fee – almost certainly larger than what they would have received this summer – again giving the club the opportunity to progress through the funds.
There’s still a journey ahead of them but today’s news is fantastic for Palace – they can now think about what they can achieve, rather than how far they could fall.
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