Wilfried Zaha signs new five-year contract with Crystal Palace after choosing not to pursue summer transfer
The Ivory Coast international has extended his contract at Selhurst Park to 2023 after admitting at the weekend that he is fully focused on playing for Palace
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Your support makes all the difference.Wilfried Zaha has committed his future to Crystal Palace and signed a long-term contract extension with his boyhood club until 2023.
The Ivorian international continued his sensational form of last season into the new campaign with an excellent performance and the game-sealing goal against Fulham on Saturday.
Zaha turned down an offer of an extension earlier in the summer, which was misconstrued by some quarters as a desire to leave the club.
However, the 25-year-old forward is happy to stay at the club where he made his name after a disappointing move to Manchester United as a youngster. Zaha will see his terms improved, with the club set to pay him like the top-level matchwinner he is.
There is an understanding that if Zaha continues to perform as he has been then it may, ultimately, be impossible to keep a player of that calibre but Palace will now be sure - in the worst-case scenario - of receiving a fee that is fitting for the current market.
Tottenham were linked with the versatile attacker this summer but never made any formal interest. Chelsea were also linked and the two clubs had discussions over a number of players, including Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Danny Drinkwater and Tammy Abraham, but no concrete bid came in for Zaha.
As such, the Ivory Coast international, who played once for England before being frozen out, has now signed Palace’s offer of a contract extension that keeps him as the face of the south London club.
Chairman Steve Parish said: “Wilf grew up a stone’s throw from Selhurst Park from the age of four, and has been with the club since he was 12. This agreement is yet another example of his lifelong commitment to the club, and our commitment to him. This is an amazing day for everyone here at Palace, our supporters and of course Wilf – and is richly deserved."
Zaha said: “I’m very pleased. Obviously, I just wanted to get it over and done with, so I can just focus on the season. I’m buzzing that we managed to get it sorted.”
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