West Ham and Wolves join race for '£72-a-week' star as Crystal Palace reunion 'eyed'

Crystal Palace icon Wilfried Zaha is pushing for a shock return to Selhurst Park after just one season in the Turkish Super Liga, according to reports.

The Daily Star understands that Galatasaray, who signed the winger on a free from Crystal Palace last summer, can no longer afford to pay the 31-year-old’s weekly salary and adds that they are willing to off-load the Ivory Coast international for a ‘nominal fee’ this summer. Galatasaray announced Zaha would earn 4.35m euros (£3.75m) annually, equating to around £72,000 per week. He was also handed a £2m signing bonus last summer.

Zaha is regarded as one of Crystal Palace’s best ever players and it is expected that his emotional attachment to the club could give the Eagles the advantage in the transfer market.

Zaha made his first team debut 14 years ago under interim boss Paul Hart and went on to establish himself as one of the best flair players in the EFL. The youngster's sensational technical ability and his eye for goal earned him England recognition in 2012 despite being a Championship player, and he won two caps for the Three Lions as a teenager before switching allegiances to Ivory Coast. 

Zaha’s talents notably made him the final signing of Alex Ferguson’s time as Man Utd boss in 2013, but he rarely featured for the Red Devils under successor David Moyes and was quickly sent out on loan to Cardiff City after just six months and two appearances.

A swift return to Selhurst Park followed in 2014 and over the course of the next nine years he would establish himself as an all-time great for the club - scoring a combined 68 goals and providing 28 assists - making him the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League with nearly the double the amount of Christian Benteke (35).

Zaha’s time at Crystal Palace came to an emotional end in the summer of 2023 when he rejected the club’s new contract offer for a fresh challenge in Turkey with Galatasaray. The 31-year-old had a steady first season with nine goals and three assists in 30 league matches - lifting the league and Turkish Cup in the process.

He has two years remaining on his contract in Turkey but his representatives have reportedly already alerted Crystal Palace of his availability this summer. Zaha’s knowledge of the club and his ability to change matches could make him the ideal replacement for Michael Olise following links to Bayern Munich, while Zaha himself is reportedly keen to move close to home.

However, the Eagles are not the only team in the running to sign Zaha and the Daily Star also understands that West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui is a huge admirer of the player along with Gary O’Neil of Wolves.

Both Jarrod Bowen and Pedro Neto are seen as targets for a number of top European clubs this summer, and Zaha could be the ideal replacement for both side’s to fill the void in terms of goals and creativity.