nayimfromthehalfwayline
Andy Thompson
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/fo...lfried-zaha-seeks-transfer-exit-a3896061.html
Crystal Palace facing summer of discontent as Wilfried Zaha seeks transfer exit
LIVE | Latest transfer news and gossip from the summer window
Palace had just beaten West Brom 2-0 to finish outside the top half on goal difference and, after a difficult campaign during which relegation had looked likely following a disastrous start, the outlook seemed bright in south London.
Fast forward a couple of months and Palace have brought in just one player — on a free transfer — their most prized asset wants to leave and, rather than looking upwards, Hodgson is preparing fans for a season of struggle.
Hodgson said in May that Palace were determined not be involved in another relegation scrap but there has been a shift in that stance.
Optimism among supporters has quickly been replaced by uncertainty and concern about what might lie ahead.
The seeds of worry were sown two weeks ago during a pre-season tour of Scandinavia, when Hodgson admitted Palace have little money to spend in the transfer market and warned next season could be another struggle to avoid the drop.
Those words were in stark contrast to his message at the end of last season and Hodgson is not a manager who often airs his grumbles in public, so his comments felt significant.
Then, last week, Palace were rocked when Wilfried Zaha indicated for the first time that he wants to leave to play for a club in the Champions League.
The £70million-valued winger has not handed in a transfer request but he feels his ambition has outgrown the club he first joined at the age of 12.
It all leaves Palace at a difficult juncture with under three weeks until their opening game of the campaign.
Palace have yet to receive any formal offers for Zaha. The Eagles do not want to sell the 25-year-old but if Tottenham or Borussia Dortmund do make a substantial bid, then chairman Steve Parish will face his hardest decision in eight years at the club.
Zaha is the leader of this Palace team. They did not gain a single point in the 10 games he missed last season.
Hodgson is desperate not to lose his star man, while Parish has a close personal relationship with the player who scored the first goal of the CPFC2010 era after Parish, Martin Long, Steve Browett and Jeremy Hosking saved the club from liquidation in 2010.
Parish and Zaha spent time together in Mallorca last summer before the Ivory Coast international signed a five-year contract. Letting him leave would be a wrench but the winger has rejected the offer of a new £125,000-a-week contract.
The uncertainty around Zaha’s future has added to an already complicated summer at Palace. Hodgson was told by Parish and sporting director Dougie Freedman at the end of last season that Palace must work within a strict budget in the transfer market.
The Eagles manager has to sell before he can buy, as the club look to tighten the purse strings following some big spending in recent years. Palace have a net spend of around £90m in the past five transfer windows, including splashing out £29m for Christian Benteke and £26m for Mamadou Sakho.
The Eagles are also seeking to cut a wage bill that their latest financial figures showed was £112m in 2016-17, the ninth highest in Premier League. That season Palace also had the fourth highest net spend in the division at more than £65m, behind only Manchester United, Emirates Marketing Project and Arsenal.
Parish insists transfer plans are not linked to the planned redevelopment of Selhurst Park because finance for the project has been ring-fenced.
But so far the only new arrival this summer is Spanish goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.
Parish often leaves deals to the final days of the window but at this stage it seems unlikely there will be any major outlay unless Zaha leaves.
The Palace squad look just about strong enough to stay up if everyone stays fit but there are areas in obvious need of improvement.
Palace fans will hope Hodgson maintains his record of improving the fortunes of clubs after keeping them up in his first season in charge.
Fulham were 18th when he took over in December 2007 but rose to seventh and reached a Europa League final. West Brom were 17th when he took over in February 2011 but Hodgson lifted them to 10th.
Whether the 71-year-old can build on his success at Palace may depend on what happens in the final weeks of what has become a difficult summer.
Crystal Palace facing summer of discontent as Wilfried Zaha seeks transfer exit
LIVE | Latest transfer news and gossip from the summer window
- GIUSEPPE MURO
- 20 hours ago
Palace had just beaten West Brom 2-0 to finish outside the top half on goal difference and, after a difficult campaign during which relegation had looked likely following a disastrous start, the outlook seemed bright in south London.
Fast forward a couple of months and Palace have brought in just one player — on a free transfer — their most prized asset wants to leave and, rather than looking upwards, Hodgson is preparing fans for a season of struggle.
Hodgson said in May that Palace were determined not be involved in another relegation scrap but there has been a shift in that stance.
Optimism among supporters has quickly been replaced by uncertainty and concern about what might lie ahead.
The seeds of worry were sown two weeks ago during a pre-season tour of Scandinavia, when Hodgson admitted Palace have little money to spend in the transfer market and warned next season could be another struggle to avoid the drop.
Those words were in stark contrast to his message at the end of last season and Hodgson is not a manager who often airs his grumbles in public, so his comments felt significant.
Then, last week, Palace were rocked when Wilfried Zaha indicated for the first time that he wants to leave to play for a club in the Champions League.
The £70million-valued winger has not handed in a transfer request but he feels his ambition has outgrown the club he first joined at the age of 12.
It all leaves Palace at a difficult juncture with under three weeks until their opening game of the campaign.
Palace have yet to receive any formal offers for Zaha. The Eagles do not want to sell the 25-year-old but if Tottenham or Borussia Dortmund do make a substantial bid, then chairman Steve Parish will face his hardest decision in eight years at the club.
Zaha is the leader of this Palace team. They did not gain a single point in the 10 games he missed last season.
Hodgson is desperate not to lose his star man, while Parish has a close personal relationship with the player who scored the first goal of the CPFC2010 era after Parish, Martin Long, Steve Browett and Jeremy Hosking saved the club from liquidation in 2010.
Parish and Zaha spent time together in Mallorca last summer before the Ivory Coast international signed a five-year contract. Letting him leave would be a wrench but the winger has rejected the offer of a new £125,000-a-week contract.
The uncertainty around Zaha’s future has added to an already complicated summer at Palace. Hodgson was told by Parish and sporting director Dougie Freedman at the end of last season that Palace must work within a strict budget in the transfer market.
The Eagles manager has to sell before he can buy, as the club look to tighten the purse strings following some big spending in recent years. Palace have a net spend of around £90m in the past five transfer windows, including splashing out £29m for Christian Benteke and £26m for Mamadou Sakho.
The Eagles are also seeking to cut a wage bill that their latest financial figures showed was £112m in 2016-17, the ninth highest in Premier League. That season Palace also had the fourth highest net spend in the division at more than £65m, behind only Manchester United, Emirates Marketing Project and Arsenal.
Parish insists transfer plans are not linked to the planned redevelopment of Selhurst Park because finance for the project has been ring-fenced.
But so far the only new arrival this summer is Spanish goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.
Parish often leaves deals to the final days of the window but at this stage it seems unlikely there will be any major outlay unless Zaha leaves.
The Palace squad look just about strong enough to stay up if everyone stays fit but there are areas in obvious need of improvement.
Palace fans will hope Hodgson maintains his record of improving the fortunes of clubs after keeping them up in his first season in charge.
Fulham were 18th when he took over in December 2007 but rose to seventh and reached a Europa League final. West Brom were 17th when he took over in February 2011 but Hodgson lifted them to 10th.
Whether the 71-year-old can build on his success at Palace may depend on what happens in the final weeks of what has become a difficult summer.
