Arsenal have reportedly submitted an opening bid worth £40 million for Crystal Palace superstar Wilfried Zaha, who is keen on joining the Gunners.
BBC Sport have reported that Arsenal have made their first move to secure the services of Wilfried Zaha in this summer’s transfer window. The Gunners have tabled a bid worth £40 million for the Crystal Palace superstar, with the Eagles swiftly rejecting the offer by their fellow Premier League outfit.
Wilfried Zaha has found a new lease of life since returning to Crystal Palace following a hugely disappointing stint with Manchester United. His second coming at Selhurst Park though, is turning out to be quite a success, with the Ivory Coast international being the single most important player for the Eagles over the last four years.
However, his exploits could also end up being the bearer of bad news for Crystal Palace, who are fighting hard to keep hold of the player. And, hot in his pursuit are Premier League bigwigs Arsenal, who have seen Unai Emery urge the club board to sign Zaha this summer.
Arsenal may boast some of the most exciting attacking players in the first-team squad. But, there is a big hole in the attacking unit that needs to be plugged, with the Gunners bereft of a natural winger, a direct result of which has seen Emery tinker with his formation and deploy players out of position in the wide areas.
Therefore, signing a winger rightly seems to be a priority for Arsenal this summer, which explains the interest in Zaha, who can play on either flank equally adeptly while also having the ability to man more central roles. And, the North Londoners have now made their move for the 26-year-old.
The report claims that Arsenal have submitted their opening offer for Zaha, lodging a £40 million bid for the player. But, with no other player on offer, Crystal Palace have outright rejected the offer, as it is well short of their £80 million valuation of the Ivory Coast international.
However, with the former Manchester United superstar keen on joining Arsenal this summer, as per his brother Judicael, Arsenal would hope they have some advantage in their pursuit of Zaha. However, if the report is anything to go by, the Gunners need to work hard to reach a compromise with Palace.
Having failed the chance to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League giants know they will be restricted in their pursuit of their top targets. However, it now remains to be seen if Arsenal can reach an agreement with Crystal Palace over a possible move, having seen their opening £40 million offer being knocked back.
