Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has again reiterated that winger Wilfried Zaha is not for sale in January, with Chelsea understood to be keen on the Ivorian.
The Blues have had their transfer ban lifted and can now begin to look for replacements for Eden Hazard, who left the club in favour of Real Madrid during the summer, and Zaha is one name under consideration at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking ahead of his side's meeting with Norwich City on New Year's Day (via The Guardian), Hodgson was adamant that everyone at Palace wants to keep the winger at Selhurst Park, but conceded that the club would have to pay attention to a sizeable offer.
"We aren’t trying to sell Wilfried Zaha, we want to keep Wilfried Zaha," Hodgson stated. "I have the assurance there is no one in the club that wants to sell Wilfried Zaha, but of course you never know where bids are going to come from and I suppose every time there is a serious bid for one of your players the board of directors needs to take it seriously.
“It’s certainly not something we’re looking for and, by the same token, everyone at the club is aware we need strengthening, we need some help in terms of our group of players because there are certain areas we don’t have the cover or competition we need.
“And I believe they will be trying to help put that right too, but if you say, ‘have you got assurances?’ Well you can’t get assurances unfortunately, you can only get people agreeing with you that this is what needs to be done and this should be the next step for us going forward."
Palace are understood to have set an asking price of £80m for Zaha, who has managed three goals and two assists in 21 appearances this season.
It is the kind of deal that Chelsea can afford, given they sold Hazard for more than that during the summer, but they have also been tipped to spend their money elsewhere.
Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho is thought to be high on their wish list, with Chelsea among the frontrunners for the 19-year-old's signature, and the Blues would almost certainly not be able to afford both players.
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Source : 90min