Wilfried Zaha trains with Crystal Palace today – but boss has admission to make over Everton target

BY SAM SMITH

Roy Hodgson has confirmed that Wilfried Zaha trained with his Crystal Palace team-mates today after being sent home amid talk of a move to Everton on transfer deadline day.

The Eagles winger was removed from training by Hodgson yesterday, with the Palace boss claiming the Ivory Coast international was “not in the right frame of mind”.

But Zaha, 26, was back in training today.

Hodgson feels the academy graduate is still disappointed at not leaving the Selhurst Park outfit but has urged him to remain professional.

Hodgson said: “He was as I suspected he would be. He’s a professional, he realises that. He’s committed to the club and to helping us, and to doing what we need to do to stay in the league.

“His training performance today was just as good as it was on Monday and Tuesday before yesterday’s circumstances.”

When asked if he would consider playing Zaha in the opening game of the season – ironically against Everton – despite not having much of a pre-season having returned late from the Africa Cup of Nations, the 72-year-old said: “I will indeed. I can’t say to you that he’s jubilant, I can’t say to you that he’s delighted with the situation because its not the outcome he wanted.

“The outcome he wanted was to be sold and was to leave the club. We did not want that.

“When I say ‘we’, I mean in particular my coaching staff and the players. It’s the last thing we wanted. We wanted him here with us, but we were waiting to see what the outcome will be. For us it’s been a very good outcome. We’re looking forward to benefiting from the skills he brings to us.”