Wilfried Zaha is the subject of a £9 million‑a‑season offer – after tax – from Saudi Arabian side Al‑Ittihad, the Daily Mail reports. The Crystal Palace forward is out of contract in the summer and is considering his long‑term future. Sportsmail understands Palace have offered Zaha the most lucrative deal in the club’s history, believed to be worth, inclusive of bonuses and other payments, close to £200,000 per week.
Interest in taking Zaha on a free transfer at the end of the season is building, though the winger is focused on finishing the campaign as strongly as possible before making a final decision on his future. It emerged last week that Al‑Nassr – who recently signed Cristiano Ronaldo – were also interested in signing Zaha on a Bosman deal this summer. However, their Saudi rivals Al‑Ittihad, who climbed above Al‑Nassr at the top of the Pro League this weekend, are trying to outbid them. Managed by Nuno Espírito Santo, Al‑Ittihad’s offer is tantamount to earning £320,000 per week before tax in England.
Palace are not giving up hope that Zaha will eventually sign an extension at Selhurst Park, but the Ivory Coast star, 30, faces a tough decision about the next phase of his career. In addition to Saudi interest, the forward has attracted attention from Europe, with AC Milan among the clubs monitoring his situation. Playing in the Champions League is likely to appeal to Zaha, yet the lucrative wage packages offered elsewhere will not be ignored.
Since returning from Manchester United in 2015, Zaha has come close to leaving Palace for English football’s historic top‑four. He was prevented from joining Arsenal in 2019 after Palace rejected numerous offers, while Chelsea showed concrete interest last summer. Tottenham have also expressed interest in Zaha in recent seasons.
Comments are closed for this story.