Crystal Palace have no desire to sell reported Chelsea target Zaha - Hodgson

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is unruffled with the speculation surrounding Wilfried Zaha, insisting the club has no intention of selling him. 

With another transfer window drawing near, the Ivory Coast international has been linked with Chelsea, having failed to secure a move away from Selhurst Park in the summer despite handing in a transfer request, following interest from Arsenal and Everton.

Hodgson is not surprised with the speculation surrounding the winger, given the quality of the 27-year-old, who is tied to Palace until 2023.

“The thing about Wilf Zaha, everyone knows how good a player he is, and as I have said before it is not surprising when you have got a player of that quality, that they are coveted,” Hodgson said, as per Football London.

“But he is a Crystal Palace player, he is under contract to us, and no-one here is anxious or has any desire to sell him.

“But sometimes bids come in which are very difficult for the clubs, and if that happens, we will deal with it. But I certainly don’t concern myself with it, and the speculation doesn’t interest me at all.

“I have been here two and a half years now and there has been speculation about him since I came through the door, and he is still here doing a wonderful job, so it is like water off a duck’s back for me.”

Zaha, who had a slow start to the season, has scored two goals in his last three Premier League appearances.

The forward will hope to maintain his new-found form when Palace take on Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.