Roy admits big guns may lure Zaha away

ROY HODGSON admits he can’t be sure Wilfried Zaha won’t be sold in January.

Zaha is attracting plenty of interest after his sparkling run of form helped lift Crystal Palace off the bottom.

But worried boss Hodgson cannot offer any assurances that the 25-year-old winger will see out the season at Selhurst Park.

Hodgson said: “I don’t think that, as a manager, you can ever give guarantees on anything.

Bigger

“It’s a great credit to the club and Zaha if there are rumours circulating of so-called bigger clubs looking at him and maybe thinking of making a bid.

“We should be pleased about that. That means he’s playing well. That’s the way we are looking at it.

“If the day comes when one of those rumours becomes the truth and there’s a concrete situation, I’ll come to terms with ® it at that moment in time. If you ask if I want him to stay, then, like the rest of the Crystal Palace supporters, of course I do.

“He’s helping us win games and I’ve no doubt that will continue until the day when he can no longer do it for us.

“Like most Crystal Palace fans, I hope that’s a long way off.”

Meanwhile, Jason Puncheon will remain as Palace’s club captain – for now.

Puncheon is on bail after being charged with assault and possession of a weapon following an incident outside a Surrey nightclub at the weekend. He is due to appear in court on January 5.

However, the 31-year-old is in contention to face Swansea tomorrow, with Hodgson insisting the midfielder is in the right frame of mind to play.

He added: “He’s mentally right. Of course I have spoken to him.

“At the moment he remains club captain and available for selection.”