Arsenal are considering offering Crystal Palace at least one player as part of an improved second offer for Wilfried Zaha.
The Gunners had an opening bid of £40million rejected by the Selhurst Park club with Palace valuing the 26-year-old at around £80m. Standard Sport understands Arsenal’s offer comprised staggered payments over five years. Palace made it clear in response they want around twice that amount paid within a year.
Zaha’s brother Judicael told Sky Sports on Monday it is Wilfried’s “dream” to play for Arsenal but the vast difference in valuations between the two clubs is a difficult obstacle to overcome, not least because Palace are reluctant to sell.
The Gunners have a transfer budget of around £40m but can bolster that figure through player sales. They are hopeful Zaha’s desire to move could force down Palace’s asking price but that alone is unlikely to be enough to secure an agreement.
Carl Jenkinson is available and could fill the right-back spot vacated by Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s departure to Manchester United while Mohamed Elneny is also surplus to requirements. Shkodran Mustafi (below, with Zaha) is another player among several head coach Unai Emery is willing to part with but it remains to be seen whether Palace have any interest or the World Cup winner would be interested in moving to south London.
Palace are determined to stick to their original £80m valuation and believe they are in a strong negotiating position given Zaha last year signed a £130,000-a-week contract tying him to the club until 2023. There is no release clause.
United ended up having to meet Wan-Bissaka’s £50m price tag but as things stand Arsenal cannot afford to satisfy their demands for Zaha, especially with other areas of the team to strengthen. The Gunners remain in talks with Saint-Etienne over a deal for William Saliba and Celtic for left-back Kieran Tierney.
Zaha’s return for pre-season will be delayed after the Ivory Coast reached the last 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations with a 4-1 win over Namibia last night. Zaha scored the third goal in a comfortable victory.
