Zaha is the kind of player I reckon it's nigh on impossible to sign in the current market because his transfer fee is higher than his value on the pitch. He'd be a good punt at around £30-40 million, but that's barely half of what Palace want for him. We don't have money like that this summer, and even if we did we shouldn't spend it on him.

If nobody offers 80 mil then he's not going for 80. Question is more about how much Palace want/need that 30+ and how hard Zaha pushes for it. Putting such a huge figure out there encourages bids rather than fending them off, I think.

Would love him. Has the makings of a future talisman

Coombs wrote:

If nobody offers 80 mil then he's not going for 80.

He won't be going anywhere at all probably. There's very little reason for Palace to sell him since they can't get anyone as good to replace him, especially with half the fee going straight to Manchester United. I reckon that's why they're asking for so much money.

I like Zaha a lot, but I think I'd rather bet on Iwobi to stay on his development curve and go for a different type of player on the other wing.

Isn’t United’s cut only 25%?

I like Zaha, but I’d agree with the assessment that he’s not worth more than £50m, if that. Any chance Palace would take £40m and one of Chambers / Nketiah / Nelson?

That muscular physique in the Adidas shirt. Those dreads flapping about in the box

Ooooh yeah

MistaT wrote:

Isn’t United’s cut only 25%?

I like Zaha, but I’d agree with the assessment that he’s not worth more than £50m, if that. Any chance Palace would take £40m and one of Chambers / Nketiah / Nelson?

Personally, i don't want him if Manu get 20m cash for nothing.
Your post has me wondering if they could screw Manu by swapping players.
We give them all our unwanted players and they can pass Ozil on to utd as the 25% payment saving themselves the £350k a week wages.

Ornstein rates this transfer as 3/10 so unlikely it will happen

Iwobi and Chambers + £30m.

Like someone else said in another thread it's really appealing that Arsenal is his boyhood club and that it would be his dream move.

This is a nightmare link. Thanks, no thanks.

Really flo? I want him.

Yep, I’m serious. I’ve never rated the guy. Especially not for the stupid money he is going to cost us.

I'm with flo. The guy has many good traits but I've never wanted him at arsenal

There would need to be some major sales to cover the cost of this kind of deal anyway

Really talented, but reminds me a lot of Iwobi. He has some nice skills, pace and athleticism, but he really isn't playing as well as all those nice qualities would suggest. Too lazy? Lack of motivation? Lack of support on the pitch? Who knows. Would be worth a punt at £30-40 mill though.

I agree with Flo and Gaz. Zaha has become a much better player in the past couple of seasons, but he's still unreliable in the final third with the final pass or finish.

That said, player swapping our way to a deal and screwing United over in the process would make it worth it.

Chambers, Jenkinson, Elneny, and a few others, could be a genuine interest for them.

Plus, we know Zaha is a certified Gooner:
[Twitter]

I do get the Iwobi vibes as they both possess dribbling and ball-carrying skills but I disagree that he isn't playing well as he has consistently been Palace's best player these past 3 years and they hardly ever win when he doesn't play.
Also Zaha doesn't panic and forget how to kick a ball when in the box and Iwobi's walking at breakneck speed (no knee lift) style of running is no match for Zaha's blistering pace.

unfortunately he signed a contract extension last august, it looks like, so he has no real leverage. his contract runs through 2023. smart of palace to tie him down. unless he just absolutely hands in a transfer request, cant see anything in this, as we should not pay more than £30m for him.

As the current speculation goes we're essentially looking at a scenario of PEA Out plus 10m for Zaha In with less than half the goals, to say nothing that we're on a restricted budget not inside top4/CL and could use that money to strengthen the team elsewhere.

Even if I rated Zaha it simply looks like bad business. If it were Pepe then we're talking some sense. Even then I think I'd prefer Mahrez and use the difference to strengthen elsewhere.

We'll bid for him and I think we'll get him closer to the end of the window. He will push for it and make it impossible for Palace to keep him. He's that kind of character. They will accept whatever our bid is in the end.

He only wants Arsenal as well. He's just seen them sell Wan-Bissaka, no way he'll stay put.

I also think Zaha is underrated on here. He's an absolute havoc-wrecking winger with the arrogance of someone who knows he's the got the beating of whatever fullback he's up against. Now that Hazard departed the Island, Zaha is probably the best winger in this league. He's a bad-boy, street winger who will transform our attack. We should do everything we can to nab him. Honestly can't think of a better fit for our wings than this guy. With Auba, Laca, Nelson etc, we're gonna be an absolute attacking nightmare for any team. He's 26, in his prime and ready to do damage, and the fact that he's an a childhood Gooner is a beautiful bonus.

Yes he’ll add power and dribbling ability. He’ll unsettle defences and make as far less predictable going forward and not in a Danny Welbeck kinda way

——————Lacazette
—Zaha————————Aubameyang

Goals n smiles

On Zaha. He does bits for Palace and he’s so even more bits for us. He’d bring qualities we don’t currently have, he’ll be surrounded by better players, won’t shirk responsibility, loves the club. He’s very good at carrying the ball from deep too

He’s clearly got more confidence then he had before, is comfortable beating any defence, and would transform our style of play. But for nothing more than £40m.

[Twitter]
Even if it doesn't happen, it's nice to see a good player so desperate to play for Arsenal. Doesn't happen often these days.

I doubt it’ll happen unless Emery and co request an extraordinary transfer

I think it will happen. A winger with PL experience and potential to improve. Not worth £80m, but if he wants out, cash plus players should be enough to get this over the line. Would be happy with that as he is has so much ability and has stood up to some pretty rough treatment. Playing week in week out on bigger pitches will bring out the best in him as he performed better away from home. PL defenders are already wary of his ability as opposition usually doubled up on him so can open up more space for our other attackers.

Would you sign Zaha at the expense of selling Auba?

He is like Cuadrado, but better (physically), yet worse (poor decision making, poor finishing).

Sicario wrote:

Would you sign Zaha at the expense of selling Auba?

Would prefer to sell Laca and keep Auba upfront. 

flobaba wrote:

He is like Cuadrado, but better (physically), yet worse (poor decision making, poor finishing).

Cuadrado is not a better finisher.

Zaha doesn’t really track back, and tends to go for an extra touch or dribble instead of passing, but one vs one? Forget about it, he would be a biggest threat in ages down the wing.

The issue is price, £80mil is a joke, and even at £40mil I don’t think I would.

Ziyech, Upamecano, Konate etc would seem a better use of funds, although we absolutely need a winger as well.

Gunner89 wrote:

flobaba wrote:

He is like Cuadrado, but better (physically), yet worse (poor decision making, poor finishing).

Mate do you like to make things up?

Cuadrado has scored 1,4,2,4 and 0 in his last 5 league seasons.

Zaha's 10 in the league last season manages to exceed that 5 year collective haul.

Wrong. Now who's making up things.

Zaha's finishing ranges from erratic to world class. Scored some absolute worldies past few sesaons.

He is one of those I always watch and say we could do with someone like him, pace power and dribbling ability. I still do, but 80m is pushing it abit. Max 60m for him.

Alternatives are Balde and Carrasco who could be got for £25-£30m

Sicario wrote:

Would you sign Zaha at the expense of selling Auba?

Hell no.

Coombs wrote:

That is not what we're "looking at". What an absurd notion.

All this advanced math ppl are doing is for nothing. Speculation these days is ridiculously convoluted. We don't know anything, and transfer warchests aren't a real thing.

I hope we bid for him and I hope we get him. I doubt we will, but who knows? Certainly won't get him if we don't bid.

Agreed that selling PEA to fund buying Zaha is absurd.
As I said it's based upon the current speculation in the press as they've managed to link 2 stories in a case of 1+1=3.
Thought the rest of my post was clear enough as to what I thought of the idea.

As for Zaha himself I don't want him for half the alleged fee wanted by Palace, let alone the headline I saw today that they've upped their price to 100m following the sale of AWB.  

In terms of end product I'd rather have Fraser.  In terms of the style of play I'd rather have Mahrez.  In terms of supposed fee I'd rather have Pepe.  In terms of spending 80m or thereabouts I'd rather sign 2 players where needed than spend on any 1 (winger/wide man & RB) - particularly if we are selling our Golden Boot winner to raise those funds.   Zaha seems like a 'luxury' we cannot afford when we need to rebuild & I've seen nothing to suggest he'd have any more impact than Gervinho.  I'd only be looking if he was the last piece to the puzzle and only if we'd received increased funding from selling those we don't want at the club.  [font=Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Sans-Serif]I suspect our 'interest' has as much to do with HG criteria as anything.  [/font]