ROY HODGSON CONFIRMED Wilfried Zaha is available for Crystal Palace’s season opener despite his disgruntlement over being denied a move to opponents Everton.
Zaha handed in a transfer request before the window closed but Palace refused to budge on their reported £100million asking price and rebuffed Everton’s interest.
The Ivory Coast international will get a taste of what might have been when Marco Silva’s men visit Selhurst Park tomorrow.
After sending him home from training on deadline day, Hodgson said Zaha is “absolutely” in contention for the club’s first Premier League fixture of the new season.
“Wilfried Zaha is as I expected he would be,” the Eagles manager told reporters. “He’s a professional and committed to the club and helping us do what we need to do to stay in the league. He trained today just as he did on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I can’t say he’s jubilant or delighted. The outcome he wanted was to be sold and leave, but it was the last thing we wanted. It was a good outcome for us. It’s not even worth discussing replacements for players of his calibre.”
Zaha, 26, was heavily linked to Arsenal before Everton emerged as contenders for his signature. The winger could still leave South London if a club elsewhere in Europe successfully agrees a fee with Palace.
