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| Leicester City’s James Justin battles with Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Crystal Palace at The King Power Stadium on April 10, 2022 in Leicester, United Kingdom. |
AS Roma are reportedly interested in signing Crystal
Palace star Wilfried Zaha as the forward enters the final year
of his contract.
According to Fabrizio
Romano via Sky Sports Italy, Jose Mourinho and
Roma’s board are huge admirers of Zaha although any deal is still in the very
early stages, and they are yet to open talks with Palace.
Zaha has been for many seasons one of the Premier
League’s best players outside of the ‘big six’ clubs, having scored 61 goals
and made 27 assists in his top-flight career, almost all for a Palace side not
renowned for attacking football.
The Ivory Coast international became Sir Alex
Ferguson’s last ever signing for Manchester
United in 2013, following his scintillating form for Palace in
the Championship, but by the time he arrived at Old Trafford David Moyes had
taken over.
The Scotsman handed him just two league appearances
before loaning him to Cardiff, before he returned to his boyhood club the
following season where he has established himself as the Eagles’ talisman and
one of their greatest ever players.
As a result, he has been linked with a move away
from Selhurst Park numerous times, most notably in 2019 when Arsenal and
Everton had big money bids rejected.
Zaha turns 30 next season and with just one-year
left on his current deal, Patrick Vieira may be inclined to sell his star man
while he can, yet last season was the player’s most prolific, with 15 goals in
all competitions, showing that he still has a lot to offer the South London
side.
While in the past Zaha has wanted to challenge
himself at a larger club, he seems more settled than ever at Palace, thanks to
the arrival of Vieira and his more attack-minded philosophy, in addition to the
fantastic recruitment last season that saw the arrival of the young talents
like Marc Guehi and Michael Olise.
Former United boss Mourinho became Roma manager last
season, winning the inaugural Europa Conference League, and the Portuguese has
made a habit of signing former Premier League players for the Serie A side.
So far, he has acquired Nemanja Matic from United,
Tammy Abraham from Chelsea and Rui Patricio from Wolves.
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