---
title: "Crystal Palace: Patrick Vieira will be ‘desperate’ to keep Wilfried Zaha"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/crystal-palace-wilfried-zaha-transfer-gossip-news-updates/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Daniel Clubbe"
section: "Crystal Palace News"
published: "2022-07-18T16:45:58Z"
modified: "2022-07-18T16:45:58Z"
---

# Crystal Palace: Patrick Vieira will be ‘desperate’ to keep Wilfried Zaha

**Journalist Pete O’Rourke has delivered his verdict on the speculation surrounding the future of [Crystal Palace](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/crystal-palace-news/) winger Wilfried Zaha.**

### The lowdown: Zaha linked with Palace exit…again

Seemingly [perennially linked](https://www.football.london/crystal-palace-fc/wilfried-zaha-how-everton-arsenal-17431250) with a move away from Selhurst Park ever since returning from an [abortive spell](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wilfried-zaha/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/145988) at Manchester United, the Ivory Coast international is now into the final [12 months](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wilfried-zaha/profil/spieler/145988) of his contract in southeast London and could be facing an uncertain future with the Eagles.

The 29-year-old is yet to enter negotiations with the Palace board over a new deal, and the club’s hierarchy are [fearful of losing](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/wilfried-zaha-and-crystal-palace-face-transfer-decision-as-he-enters-last-year-of-contract-fww5l2v0f#:~:text=Zaha%2C%2029%2C%20will%20have%20one,a%20free%20agent%20in%202023.) a player who has [directly contributed to 156 goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wilfried-zaha/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/145988/verein/873) in 429 Eagles appearances for nothing next summer.

Following a recent report from [TuttoMercatoWeb](https://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-a/tmw-novita-sul-mercato-della-roma-contatto-per-wilfried-zaha-del-crystal-palace-1703437) claiming that Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma were interested in signing Zaha this summer, one well-informed onlooker has had his say on the influential forward’s future…

### The latest: ‘Name popping up’

Speaking to [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/88035078-crystal-palace-vieira-desperate-to-keep-34-2m-star-at-selhurst-park), O’Rourke suggested that Patrick Vieira will be ‘desperate’ to retain the services of the [28-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wilfried-zaha/nationalmannschaft/spieler/145988/verein_id/3591) Ivorian at Selhurst Park.

He said: “It wouldn’t be a transfer window without Wilfried Zaha’s name popping up as he gets linked probably every summer.

“But Vieira will be desperate to keep him, he’s trying to build something at Crystal Palace right now and Zaha is one of the more experienced players at Selhurst Park, while he’s got all of the younger players around him as well.”

\[freshpress-quiz id=”398344″\]

### The verdict: Fingers crossed

Finishing the 2021/22 season as the [top scorer](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/crystal-palace/top-scorers) for Vieira’s side with 15 goals (along with two assists), almost twice as many as Conor Gallagher in second, Zaha’s continued importance at Selhurst Park remains abundantly clear.

Now perhaps seen as the club’s stalwart, having one time been their [rising sensation](https://www.crystalpalace-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/zaha_commits_to_eagles_514538/index.shtml), the skilful winger – who was once dubbed as an [‘incredible talent’](https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1285597906448203776) by former Palace owner Simon Jordan – will be looked upon to nurture the [likes](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/crystal-palace/kader/verein/873) of Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and new summer signing Malcolm Ebiowei to develop further.

\[freshpress-poll id=”367037″\]

In that case, to avoid losing such a talismanic figure without an incoming transfer fee, chairman Steve Parish, sporting director Dougie Freedman and the rest of the Palace board should be doing everything in their power to tie down the [£34.2m-valued](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wilfried-zaha/marktwertverlauf/spieler/145988) star to fresh terms.