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Before the start of the season, few outside of the Championship would have heard of Wilfried Zaha. However, given the recent surge in analyses on the winger’s potential, his England call-up and the numerous rumours of possible £20 mln move to a Premier League team, TKTG has compiled some of the better articles on the new youth who has caught the eyes of editors and managers across the UK.
Wilfred Zaha is Crystal Palace’s best ever talent – Mark Bright (BBC Sport)
Wilfried Zaha is the biggest talent to emerge from Crystal Palace since Arsenal legend Ian Wright, according to BBC Sport pundit Mark Bright.
Bright played with Wright at Palace and now helps out as a coach at the club.
Zaha, 20, has been called up by England for Wednesday’s friendly in Sweden and Bright says the winger could be even better than his former team-mate.
“Potential-wise Wilfried represents the biggest talent to come from the Palace youth system,” he said.
“He is probably the best prospect we [Palace] have had in terms of what he could go on to achieve.”
Hodgson: Zaha should be ‘thankful’ (ESPNFC)
Roy Hodgson expects Wilfried Zaha to be fully committed to England after the winger was given a surprise call-up for Wednesday’s international friendly against Sweden.
Zaha, 20, is being courted by the country of his birth, the Ivory Coast, and playing in the Stockholm clash will not affect his eligibility to make the switch from the England camp. However, Hodgson insists he has received an assurance from the Crystal Palace man regarding his allegiances.
“It is very simple for me. England, for me, is very important. To be asked to play for England is a major honour and a major feather in people’s caps. I am not interested in people who are deciding whether England is where they want to be or whether they want to be somewhere else.
“I have a simple attitude towards it. When people are called up I expect them to come running, get on a bicycle and cycle to the training session if they have to. Then they shake hands with everyone and tell everyone how happy they are to be there.
“There is all this nonsense about players receiving phone calls and being enticed away. If they are going to be enticed away, they will be enticed away. But if they are being enticed away they are not the right player for us.
Manchester United to Swoop for Zaha ahead of summer move (Goal.com)
Manchester United are preparing to make the first move in the race for Crystal Palace wonderkid Wilfried Zaha with a deal that would allow the winger to stay at the Championship club until the end of the season.
Sir Alex Ferguson has been monitoring the 20-year-old’s progress for several months and has stepped up his interest recently, with Goal.com revealing that United had a senior scout in the crowd for Palace’s victory over Leicester on October 27.
Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham are all monitoring Zaha’s situation as Palace prepare for a January bidding war for a player who is expected to make his England debut in Wednesday’s friendly against Sweden.
United sources believe it is very unlikely that Zaha will move in the New Year – especially with Palace top of the Championship and on course to challenge for promotion – but Sir Alex wants to strike an agreement to sign the youngster next summer in a similar deal to the one reached when Chris Smalling signed from Fulham.
Nani is likely to leave Old Trafford next summer as he approaches the final year of his contract and Zaha is considered as the leading option to replace him thanks to his stunning form for the Eagles.
Is Zaha the next great hope for England or just another over-hyped youngster? Let us know your thoughts.
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