Roy Hodgson Insists Crystal Palace Winger & Everton Target Wilfried Zaha Is Not for Sale
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has insisted that star winger Wilfried Zaha won't be leaving the club this summer, despite rumoured interest from Everton, because he is still tied to a long-term contract at Selhurst Park.
Zaha enjoyed a fine season in 2017/18 as Palace survived the threat of what looked like certain relegation a month into the campaign and ultimately climbed to 11th - their highest finish since 2014/15 - and were only kept out of the top half on goal difference.
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It brought unsurprising interest from other clubs, but Hodgson is adamant that the Eagles do not wish to sell and are under no pressure to sell.
"What people seem to forget with Wilf is he has got a four-year contract," the boss is quoted as saying by various outlets as he responded to the Everton speculation.
"There is speculation every year around Messi and Ronaldo too. He is our player for the next four years and the club has got no interest or desire to sell him."
Palace have just finished a pre-season mini-tour of Denmark and Sweden, drawing 2-2 against Helsingor last week and thrashing Halmstad, the club where Hodgson first took the plunge as a manager back in the 1970s, by a 6-1 scoreline.
Having featured against Helsingor, Zaha was unfortunately not able to face Halmstad after returning home early to attend to an unspecified 'family matter'.
His absence was confirmed by the club on Twitter shortly before kickoff.
