Arsenal

Jordan: Arsenal will probably have to pay £70m for Zaha

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Image for Jordan: Arsenal will probably have to pay £70m for Zaha

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has said that Arsenal will probably have to pay £70million for Wilfried Zaha – or £80million if they “want it on the drip”. 

Jordan was responding to comments made by Ian Holloway on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show on talkSPORT on Thursday morning (9am).

Holloway, who managed Zaha at Palace, heaped praise on his former winger saying, “I’m privileged to have seen him live every day and the talent he’s got, he’s starting to show it.

“I’d love for him to get Palace into that position and get into the top four. Is that going to happen? No, so he needs to go and better himself.

“The lad is pure, he’s white snow and I believe he can win games almost on his own. He loves Palace, Palace love him, but it’s time for someone to pay the proper price for him.

“That offer, £40m, is a disgrace. He looked so mature last season, he’s got to make a step up.”

Jordan also agreed that it was time for Zaha to move but he added, “Not by the hand of a flesh trading agent or some imbecile relative.”

VERDICT

Emotive words from Holloway who is an outspoken pundit. It might be a bit strong to say that Arsenal’s opening £40million offer is a disgrace but it certainly looks like it’s not going to buy them a player who Holloway thinks is ready to step up to a big club for the second time in his career. It didn’t work out for him at Man United when he was sold to the Premier League giants by Holloway in 2013 for £10.5million. He only made four appearances for United before being sold back to Palace two years later for £3.45million. Arsenal need a winger, with only Alex Iwobi offering natural width at the moment. Holloway compared Zaha to Ronaldo on talkSPORT on Thursday and while that might be hyperbole, his numbers show what he could do for an Arsenal side boasting Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up top. According to WhoScored, Zaha completed 114 dribbles last season in the Premier League – only Eden Hazard beat that. Arsenal’s best came from Iwobi and Lacazette who managed 46 each, putting them 25th and 26th in the Premier League. It sounds like Zaha wants to move to Arsenal and Emery obviously wants Zaha at the Emirates. The question is, can they make the finances work? £80m “on the drip” as Jordan puts it could be a deal that’s worth thrashing out. 

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