Zaha: I was all over the place
EAGLES STAR’S TURMOIL OVER FAILED MOVE
WILFRIED ZAHA admits his head was “all over the place” after his dream £80million move to Arsenal collapsed in the summer.
Crystal Palace’s matchwinning winger believed he was on the way to the Emirates in a life-changing deal until the Gunners refused to meet the asking price and signed £72m Nicolas Pepe instead.
And when Everton had two late bids rejected before the transfer deadline, because they fell way short of Palace’s valuation, he was stranded in south London. On international duty with Ivory Coast, Zaha has lifted the lid on his limbo – the security of being tethered to a five-year contract worth £130,000 a week, with no release clause at Palace offset by a desire to test himself in the Champions League.
Speaking to BBC Africa, he said: “Obviously my head was a bit all over the place at the beginning of the season, but I had to nail down and just get on with it because the team deserved that.
“I had to put my head down and play my football. I would have been hindering my own progress by moaning and not wanting to perform properly.
“I have too much respect for my manager, the fans and my team-mates to treat them that way. It was a thing where, ‘OK, this hasn’t happened, but I’ve got to get on with it’.
“I’ve got to prove every time I’m the top player I claim to be, so I had to get over it quickly.”
Zaha stopped short of pledging his long-term future to the Eagles, but their flying start – sixth after eight games – has been of some comfort.
He added: “I’m seeing how it goes. I’m just trying to perform to the best of my ability.
“The season’s gone well. We’ve a lot more in us and everyone’s happy with where we are.”