Chairman Steve Parish has said it was vital Crystal Palace kept Wilfried Zaha this summer, despite the late offer from Tottenham Hotspur.
With Palace receiving a reported £12million offer from the White Hart Lane outfit, despite Parish previously saying he wouldn’t be sold, he told Talksport earlier today that it was an important moment for the fans he felt to draw a line on any potential Zaha sale.
‘The first game we had as owners, he scored the first goal and he was only 16, and his shorts were massive on him. He has just been an amazing part of everything we have achieved as a football club and a talisman for the fans. With Yannick Bolasie and Mile Jedinak going, there was now chance of him going in this transfer window.’
Parish added.
‘He carries the club in his heart and he cares about the football club. We have been lucky over the last six years to have players that care about the club and we need to maintain that. There are a lot of bad things said about footballers, but if there is one player who doesn’t play for the money, it is Wilf. He loves playing football and there is still a lot more to come from him.’
As for the offer from Spurs directly, he ended by saying.
‘I get it. Daniel Levy is probably the best trader in football. You want to buy low and sell high, but I came on here and said I wouldn’t sell him for £100m and it wasn’t worth it that close to the end of the window. It was important to keep the fans on side, he is a big fans’ favourite and it wouldn’t have happened, and hopefully it won’t for a long time.’
Manager Alan Pardew has also been speaking about Zaha today, and Croydon Advertiser have him saying that although the player isn’t yet the finished article, he could certainly see him playing for the elite sides in football.
‘This club took him back from Man United when things weren’t going so well and put their money where their mouth is to bring him back. He’s done great for me but I think there’s improvement in him. I do think he’s got some improvements to make to be a top player. I think we’re a good platform for him to do that in the Premier League. I have tried to say to him I want him to be a massive success here.’
Pardew went on to say.
‘If Spurs blew us out of the water or Man City offered £50m and it was Champions League football, OK, it’s because you’re the finished product. This is what Wilf’s ambition should be, but he needs to address his goals and assists. If a club came in with, say, £50-£60m – let’s say a Man City, Barcelona or Real Madrid, and he’s got ten goals and nine assists – as his manager at Crystal Palace I can’t really stand in his way. I don’t think our fans would either. He knows he isn’t there yet and he has no problem seeing that. I have told him that. Potentially, he could be.’
Vital Crystal Palace on:
Vital Crystal Palace on:
Goodness me, all these words about a deal that didn’t happen. Enough already. If anyone believes the player wouldn’t be sold for 100-million quid, good luck to them.