Exclusive: ‘I don’t think there is any doubt’ – Chairman Steve Parish on Wilfried Zaha’s Crystal Palace future

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish says that the club will try and find the right answer with Wilfried Zaha when it comes to resolving his future.

Zaha’s five-year deal, which he signed in 2018, is set to expire at the end of next season.

The 29-year-old has recorded the best goalscoring tally of his career this season with 12 goals for the Eagles in all competitions – including one in the FA Cup last-eight encounter against Everton to take Patrick Vieira’s side to Wembley.

The Ivory Coast international graduated through the club’s academy in 2010 and has notched up more than 400 appearances for the South Londoners.

Zaha is joint eighth with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bryne in this season’s Premier League scoring charts.

He is joint 83rd in the all-time list having netted 58 goals with Chelsea’s Gianfranco Zola (59) next in his sights.

Zaha has expressed a desire to move to a club challenging for silverware on more than one occasion – including handing in a transfer request to try and smooth through a switch to Arsenal in August 2019.

The South London Press caught up with Parish outside the Wembley dressing rooms after their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea.

When asked if Zaha was a player that Palace would want to tie down, Parish replied: “I don’t think there is any doubt.

“We love Wilfried to bits, but that is a situation that we will discuss with him and his people.

“We will try and find the right answer for everybody at the right time.”

Two second-half goals from Thomas Tuchel’s side, courtesy of a Ruben Loftus-Cheek opener and Mason Mount strike, saw Palace’s FA Cup run come to an end at Wembley on Sunday.

Speaking on the mood among the players following the game, Parish said: “They are bitterly disappointed because, in the first half, we were every bit as good as them, weren’t we? In the second half, you wouldn’t look at it and go: ‘We were miles worse.’

“We just didn’t quite create enough and didn’t take the chances we did have. They’re clinical, so that was the story of the game.

“I suppose that we’re a bit disappointed that we didn’t get a goal and put them under that little bit of pressure at the end.

“The second goal, coming when it did, meant it was all over, really.

“I am pleased for the boys – it [the FA Cup semi-final] is a long way to come. We really thought we would make it to the final, so we’re disappointed.”

The Eagles are on course to book their 10th consecutive season in the top-flight and can still beat their highest Premier League points tally (49), with the remaining six games.

“It is important that we pick ourselves up from here,” said Parish. “There is a lot to play for in the division.

“We have to put this behind us and make sure the season doesn’t end in a damp squib.

“There is plenty of things to be positive about around the club, and plenty of things to be positive about getting this far, and positive about the performances in the league.”

The FA Cup semi-final was the first time the Eagles had reached that stage of the competition since the 2015-16 season under Alan Pardew, when they went on to lose in extra-time against Manchester United in the final.

Speaking on how the club has evolved since then, Parish said: “The academy is a big step forward, and we have managed to reinvest in the squad.

“We have learnt a little bit about what we’re doing. That doesn’t necessarily mean you get better outcomes, but it has given us a better chance for better outcomes.

“We have got a younger squad, it is an exciting squad, but you can see today that they need a bit of experience in some moments. Although it was a disappointing one, today will be a great experience for the lot of them.

“When people say the future of the club, I always worry because, in the end, your football club is only as good as the results you’re getting, but, obviously, the foundations are there.

“We have got a manager who likes to play football. The players are enjoying it, the fans are enjoying it, and the academy is there – hopefully we will bring some more players through. It is all set up, but you have got to win football matches.

“There is a real positive core, and we’re really representative of London and the area – which we all love. We have seen flashes from everybody over the last two seasons of what they can do, and if we can bring it all together, it could be something special, but you have got to do the work to get there.

“You don’t get there just to get there – you get there because you do the work. The Premier League is so competitive, and everybody has got good players, everybody has got a bright future, and everybody is investing. We’re happy.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD