Crystal Palace star Zaha opens up on failed Arsenal move

Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha has discussed his failed transfer from the Eagles to Arsenal during the summer for the first time. The Ivory Coast international handed in a transfer request but the Gunners were unwilling to match the player's £80 million valuation.

Palace have since given Zaha a new lease of life in the first-team and depend on his attacking prowess having persuaded the forward to stay at Selhurst Park.

"I had to put my head down and play my football," Zaha told BBC Africa.

"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 that I'm the top player I claim to be so I had to get over that quickly.

“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'm seeing how it goes. I'm a Crystal Palace player and I'm just trying to perform to the best of my ability for my club. 

"All I can do is perform on the pitch. I'm trying to be a consistent performer on the pitch week in, week out."

It is understood that several teams, including Bayern Munich, are weighing up a January transfer approach for the player.