Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace: Journalist moots Ismaila Sarr as potential Wilfried Zaha replacement

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Image for Crystal Palace: Journalist moots Ismaila Sarr as potential Wilfried Zaha replacement

Journalist Dean Jones has been speaking on The Done Deal Show about how Crystal Palace may look to replace Wilfried Zaha if he was to leave this summer.

While actual links and talk of a departure hasn’t been too rife this time around, the fact that Zaha is now into the final 12 months of his Crystal Palace contract means a club making a move for him may never be too far away.

While no Palace fans will want to fathom the idea of Zaha leaving them for a second time during his career – especially given the way he’s started the season with three goals – it could indeed still happen, and Jones believes Watford’s Ismaila Sarr could be an option they look at should the worst happen, particularly since the Senegalese winger’s move to Aston Villa collapsed.

Jones believes that after Sarr’s collapsed Villa move, Palace may have him on their list of potential Zaha replacements.

He said: “I wondered if Arsenal might go for someone like Ismaila Sarr, who’s going to be on the lookout for a move in this last week.

Who would you rather have at Crystal Palace?

Zaha!

Zaha!

Sarr!

Sarr!

“His Villa transfer hit the bumpers and he’ll be on the lookout to maybe an Everton or a Palace, I guess, if Zaha was to go – maybe they’d look down that path.”

TIF Thoughts on Zaha’s Palace future…

When comparing Zaha and Sarr’s attacking outputs, it’s quite clear that bringing in the Senegal international for Zaha would certainly not be an upgrade, as Sarr’s record in front of goal got progressively worse over his time in the Premier League, whereas Zaha is only getting better.

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Selhurst Park, Roy Hodgson, Crystal Palace

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However, if Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman see it best to get some form of cash in for Zaha instead of losing him for free, lining up someone such as Sarr – who knows the league and possesses similar strengths to Zaha according to WhoScored – wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world. He was also described as ‘scary’ by teammate Ben Foster.

The priority for everyone at Palace will likely be to have a strong start to the season and convince Zaha that they are building something positive, and that him signing a new contract would only help that project blossom.

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