Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha may be open to a move abroad, claims Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Zaha’s contract

Zaha has entered the final six months of his Palace contract and the day that the Eagles feared would eventually come is now likely to occur very soon.

The talismanic winger has appeared 447 times for the Selhurst Park outfit, scoring 89 and assisting 76 times since making his debut back in the 2009/10 season.

However, with his contract up at the end of the season, it seems incredibly unlikely given the Eagles’ league position and the plethora of clubs interested from the Premier League and around Europe, that he will extend his stay and is set for a Palace swansong.

The Latest: Move abroad?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that it’s more a case of where and not if Zaha is to leave south London, with a move abroad something that entices him.

He said: “This is more a case of where he could turn up next, that is the twist.

“Zaha will surely have opportunities in this league and he would prefer a club in the top seven, but those possibilities are not clear yet, and in the meantime, he has been receiving interest across Europe. Insiders indicate that he would genuinely consider playing on the continent if he decides to take the step away from Crystal Palace.

“Recently there has been interest from Marseille and a switch to France could certainly be on the cards, although in Germany there are a couple of options that might open up, too. At the age of 30, this is a pretty exciting time to consider the next phase.”

The Verdict: Huge decision

Zaha is now finally in complete control of the destiny of his career, and with clubs set to be queueing round the block for him, the chance to at last play in a European competition awaits.

A move abroad wouldn’t be surprising with him playing 280 times across nine Premier League campaigns, meaning you wouldn’t be surprised if he was to seek a new challenge altogether.

It’s certainly something that Eagles faithful would prefer with there no chance then of the risk he comes back to haunt them.