We don't want to lose Wilfried Zaha as we're trying to build, admits Patrick Viera
Patrick Vieira has declared he's determined to hold onto star winger Wilfried Zaha heading into his first season in charge of the squad. The new Crystal Palace boss wants to keep his main player despite the Arsenal-linked player reportedly informing the club this summer that he wants out.
Wilfried Zaha has been Crystal Palace’s star performer but Goal has reported that the situation has changed with the 28-year-old winger having reportedly told the club he wants to leave this summer for greater challenges. Zaha has always expressed his desire to play for big clubs ever since he broke into the Palace team from their academy in 2012, the forward earned a move to Manchester United. But things haven’t gone according to the plan with Zaha eventually making a permanent return back to Palace in 2015.
Since then, he has become a key part of the squad and has thrived in the six years since with links to a move away. Arsenal are just one of several Premier League sides who could register interest in Zaha in the next month, following a career-best with 11 goals in the Premier League last campaign. However, Patrick Vieira has admitted that he has already spoken to the forward and believes that he will stay at Selhurst Park.
"I'm aware about Wilfried Zaha and his situation in the last couple of years but we had a really good conversation and I'm looking forward to working with him. He's one of the most talented players in this league and we don't want to lose one of our best players. All the players are smart enough to see what the club is trying to build and where the club want to go - we've made some really exciting young player signings and I think that shows the direction the football club wants to take," Viera said, reported by Goal.