Patrick Vieira fails to rule out Wilfried Zaha exiting the club amid Chelsea interest

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has failed to entirely rule out the exit of star forward Wilfried Zaha who has been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea.

The Ivorian forward is in fine form and has two goals in his first three games of the season.

He had been linked with Chelsea earlier in the summer, but the rumour faded out after they signed Raheem Sterling from Manchester City.

Thomas Tuchel’s side though are back in the market in search for a proven goal-scorer with former Arsenal man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang their first choice, but Zaha is reportedly high on the list of second options at the moment.

The 29-year-old has one year left on his current deal and is reportedly open to the idea of joining a team that will give him a chance to play in the Champions League and test himself against some of the best players in the world again.

He has missed Palace’ last two games due to a knock he picked up in the 3-1 win over Aston Villa, even though his absence has also coincided with reports that he could leave his boyhood club before the window shuts on Thursday.

Manager Patrick Vieira says he is counting on him even though he can’t entirely determine what will happen before the window shuts.

He told reporters ahead of Brentford: “There is what I think and there is what the chairman thinks and there is what the player thinks.

“What I think is that Wilfried is an important player for the football club on and off the field, and on wanting him to stay it will be crazy not to fight to keep one of our best players.

“Yeah I think the best way is always to have the window shut down on the first game of the season that will be more easy for players and managers and everyone.

“But that is not the way it is so we have to deal with it but my personal opinion would be for the window to close before the first game of the season.”

Zaha has already tried things out of Selhurst

The Palace forward spent a season at Old Trafford and things did not go as planned. His time with United only produced two Premier League starts and no goal before returning to Palace on loan initially, it was made permanent after that.

Chelsea though, are a different side having won the Champions League recently and were losing finalist in the Carabao and FA cup last season.

A move to Thomas Tuchel’s side will obviously mean he just moves from south London to west London, a shorter journey compared to when he moved to Manchester United.