Why Crystal Palace cannot afford to lose Wilfried Zaha at any cost
According to reports in the Mirror, French club Monaco are watching Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha ahead of a potential January move. Michael Emenalo, the former Sporting Director of Chelsea, who is currently working at Monaco, is taking a close at the proceedings regarding Zaha.
Mirror further states that the French giants will step up their pursuit in January. Apparently, the Ligue 1 side are looking for an attacker after Thomas Lemar left them for Atletico Madrid.
The 25-year-old Zaha was a target for Chelsea and Tottenham this summer but neither could get the move done. The player signed a new five-year deal in August, which earns him £130,000-a-week, which is the highest at the club. (Guardian)
However, with interest coming from a big European club like Monaco, Zaha could find it difficult to resist. In that case, Crystal Palace and Roy Hodgson have to make sure they don’t let him move. Here’s why:
Palace struggle without Wilfried Zaha
Zaha is that type of player who single-handedly wins games for his team on most occasions. In fact, Palace have failed to win a single league match without Zaha in the team and this is the case since last season. It is such a strong statistic which clearly shows how much this team depends on one player.
He is their talisman and there’s no doubt about it. Credit to the club for handing him the new contract with fresh terms, which might make it tough for Monaco to get the 25-year-old. In any case, the London club cannot let Zaha go, be it in January or next summer.
Verdict
Crystal Palace are short on creativity and goalscoring threat, which is why they fight relegation battles every season. With Zaha in the line-up, they would have enough quality to win some games and survive.
Read More: Why a loan move to Crystal Palace is the ideal solution for this Chelsea starlet’s development
Hence, it absolutely makes no sense to sell the player if Monaco comes calling in January. Moreover, if the French club offers big money, Hodgson and his men have to stay stubborn and resist the temptation. One thing in Palace’s favour is that the player signed a new contract last month.