Wilfried Zaha is out of contract at Crystal Palace at the end of the season, and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Graham Potter’s Chelsea have been linked with the winger.
Arsenal linked with Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha
TalkSPORT have reported that Arsenal and Chelsea are two possible options for Zaha.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly a fan of the former Manchester United winger.
Chelsea have shown interest in Zaha in the past and could be another option for the winger in the summer transfer window, according to the report.
This is not the first time that the 30-year-old has been linked with a move to Arsenal.
Unai Emery’s desire
In May 2020, former Arsenal head coach Unai Emery told The Guardian that he wanted to sign Zaha in the summer of 2019, but the club decided to bring in Nicolas Pepe from Lille instead.
Emery said: “We signed [Nicolas] Pépé. He’s a good player but we didn’t know his character and he needs time, patience. I
” favoured someone who knew the league and wouldn’t need to adapt. [Wilfried] Zaha won games on his own: Tottenham, Manchester City, us. Incredible performances.
“I told them: ‘This is the player I know and want.’ I met Zaha and he wanted to come. The club decided Pépé was one for the future. I said: ‘Yes, but we need to win now and this lad wins games.’ He beat us on his own.”
Emery, now at Aston Villa, added: “It’s also true he was expensive and Palace didn’t want to sell.”
Unlikely to happen now
As we all know, Pepe has been a massive disappointment at Arsenal and is now on loan away from the Gunners.
Zaha is 30 now and will have no resale value.
Yes, the winger could be able to make an immediate impact at Arsenal, but the Gunners signed Leandro Trossard in the January transfer window.
True, Zaha will be a free agent, but Arsenal have a young team now.
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