‘Not like you’re Darwin Nunez,’ Paul Merson tells Premier League star to snub Arsenal
Wilfried Zaha should not join Arsenal, according to Paul Merson, amid speculation about the Crystal Palace star’s future.
Zaha is in arguably his best form of his career, having scored five goals in nine games this season, but this could be his final season at his boyhood club.
The 29-year- old’s contract expires next summer, and many expect him to leave Selhurst Park for a ‘bigger’ club, with Arsenal a likely destination given his previous links to the Gunners.
Unai Emery attempted to sign Zaha in 2019, but Arsenal were unwilling to meet Palace’s £80 million valuation of their talismanic winger.
However, Merson believes that a move to one of the Premier League’s top clubs is not in the best interests of the Ivory Coast international, writing in his Daily Star column : “Wilfried Zaha plays every week at Crystal Palace.
“He can have a bad game and still start the following match and that might not happen at a Big Six club.
“I think he should seriously consider his options before running down his contract. He’s a legend at Palace and the manager loves him.
“I see someone like Arsenal coming in for him if they get into the Champions League but do you go there and risk becoming a bit-part player?
“You’re then going on a free. It’s not like you’re Darwin Nunez, who cost £85m and therefore has to play. Will he want to play for one week and then drop to the bench? I’m just not sure whether the grass is going to be greener for Zaha.
“He’s playing the best football of his career and there is a reason for that. He needs to sit down and have a big think about his future.”
On Friday, speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Everton, Palace boss Patrick Vieira said: “There’s speculation on all good players who are at the end of their contract.
“I don’t have any doubt about him [Zaha] wanting to stay in our football club, but at the same time we have to show him how ambitious we are. We will see what will happen, but we will do everything to keep him.”
Mikel Arteta has expressed a desire to sign another winger, with Arsenal linked with Wolves’ Neto and PSV’s Cody Gakpo.
‘Not like you’re Darwin Nunez,’ Paul Merson tells Premier League star to snub Arsenal
