A free agent since his contract expired last month, Zaha has attracted interest from clubs abroad but could well return to Selhurst Park
Wilfried Zaha has raised hopes of agreeing a new contract with Crystal Palace amid interest from foreign clubs with three weeks left before the Premier League starts.
The Ivory Coast forward has been a free agent since his contract expired last month and has received a proposal from Saudi Pro League teams including Al-Ettifaq under new manager Steven Gerrard. Italian club Lazio have also shown interest in the 30-year-old, who has been at Palace for all but one season during his career.
But there is quiet confidence that Zaha could choose to stay at Palace where he has been a key player under Roy Hodgson. As a free agent, he is expected to command wages of around £200,000 per week on current market values.
Zaha has been an important figure in keeping Palace in the Premier League in the nine seasons since he has been back. He had an unhappy spell at Manchester United during the 2013/14 season when he was loaned to Cardiff City during the second half of the campaign.
Palace have signed Jefferson Lerma as a free agent this summer after his contract ran down at Bournemouth, but Zaha staying would arguably be their biggest signing of the summer after Hodgson agreed to stay on, having returned to the club out of retirement to save them from relegation.
Last season Zaha scored seven goals and overall he has 90, getting within sight of a century. Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s team, were also interested in him as a free agent when his terms expired.
He missed the end of last season with a hamstring injury and the problem would have to be assessed at whichever club he signs for before it is determined whether he will miss the start of the season. But as a free agent, he can be signed outside the transfer window.
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