Should Wilfried Zaha leave Crystal Palace this summer?
By Matt English
As Zaha continues his best season statistically for Crystal Palace, should the ex-England international look for a move away from the club?
Wilfried Zaha has not had the most fruitful last few seasons. He struggled to make an impact at Manchester United, playing just 28 minutes total. His loan spells were nothing special and he was eventually sold back to his boyhood club of Crystal Palace.
The current season has been quite different in terms of production from Zaha. Statistically, it is the best season of his career and there are still 10 matches left. The often criticized winger has really turned around his career for the better.
One of the best additions to his game has been his passing. Zaha has six assists on the season, with Benteke, Campbell, Cabaye and Wickham all benefiting from the Ivorian’s service. Since Zaha loves to go one on one with defenders, adding a solid delivery to his game can only make him more valuable to a team.
Adding five goals to his tally, a career high, Zaha seems to be getting it all together. Crystal Palace currently sit in 16th place and are four points above the relegation zone. Since Yannick Bolasie moved to Everton, Zaha has been the main man on the team. The addition of Benteke as a center forward that can hold up play has really helped Zaha, as it takes some of the attention off of the classy attacker.
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A transfer away from Crystal Palace this summer would not be a good move for Zaha, though. He has been with the club since the age of 12 and it seems this is the best fit for him. Putting it bluntly, Zaha is not a world beater.
He is not the player many people thought he would become. Yes, he is a great dribbler and is improving his skills overall.
The problem is that despite having all this time to prove himself, he still does not produce the amount needed for big clubs to move in for him.
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Staying with Crystal Palace will guarantee that Zaha has a starting spot and not be shipped around like he was at United. He is at a great point in his career where he is really finding form and moving would only complicate that. At the age of just 24, Zaha will have plenty of time to develop further and become a crucial part of the future of Crystal Palace.