‘The place for him’: 12-goal Prem star urged to consider Newcastle move

Follow us on Google Discover

Newcastle United should look to raid Premier League rivals Crystal Palace and bring Wilfried Zaha to St James’ Park in the summer transfer window, former England international Darren Bent tells talkSPORT (3 May, 9.20am). 

The phrase ‘last chance saloon’ comes to mind.

One of the Premier League’s most in-form forwards will turn 30 in November and, despite some inspired performances on the left-hand side of Patrick Vieira’s frontline, the Champions League ship looks to have sailed.  

According to the Daily Mail, Crystal Palace will seriously consider doing the previously ‘unthinkable’ and listen to offers for Zaha in the summer. The long-serving academy graduate will be a free-agent in 2023 and there is now a very real chance that a player valued at a staggering £80 million not so long ago could leave his boyhood club for absolutely nothing. 

But, lavishly talented he may be, it’s hard to imagine Zaha holding down a starting spot at, say, Liverpool or Manchester City. Even Tottenham, for that matter.  

Simply put, if he is to leave Palace, he may have to lower his sights.

Is Wilfried Zaha leaving Crystal Palace?

Former Spurs, Sunderland and Aston Villa striker Bent feels that this may be Zaha’s last chance to secure a big-money move away from Selhurst Park but he wonders if a switch to one of the Premier League’s bonafide big hitters may have passed him by. 

“What is he, 30? I think Newcastle might be maybe the place for him. If I’m Newcastle, I’m trying to get him because he’s a top player,” Bent says. “But if he doesn’t leave this summer, then I think that’s him at Crystal Palace.

“Unless he moves this summer, I can see him staying at Palace for the rest of his career.”

Of course, that is very much dependent on whether Zaha – who is enjoying his best ever goalscoring season with 13 in all competitions – is open to extending his contract at the FA Cup semi-finalists.

Another former England striker, Carlton Cole, is at pains to point out that the grass is not always greener elsewhere.

“I think he just needs to stay at Palace. Stay there, be a legend,” Cole says. “Patrick Vieira is unbelievable. He’s done really well for him so stay there.”