Crystal Palace are reportedly increasingly concerned that Wilfried Zaha will depart the club on a free transfer next summer.
The academy graduate is already established as one of the club's greatest-ever players, contributing 88 goals and 74 assists from his 441 appearances in all competitions.
As recently as last weekend, Zaha moved into third place on the all-time appearances list, and there had been hopes that the 29-year-old would want to move past 500 outings in the future.
However, since Zaha penned a five-year contract back in 2018, the Eagles have rejected numerous bids for their star player at a time when it was alleged that he was open to a departure.
Palace are now in a position where Zaha has just over eight months remaining on his contract and they possess just one transfer window in order to decide whether they wish to generate a fee.
© Reuters
According to the Daily Mail, club officials have already notified Zaha that they are willing to hand him a new contract with a significant pay rise.
Nevertheless, the report adds that Zaha is yet to indicate that he wants to commit his future to his boyhood club, aware that there will soon be widespread interest in his signature.
From January onwards, Zaha can hold discussions with foreign clubs regarding a pre-contract agreement, a scenario which may be appealing when he would have just turned 30 years of age.
However, while there is the prospect of receiving a more lucrative contract elsewhere with the offer of European football, Palace are said to be ready to give Zaha the most expensive deal in their history.
© Reuters
Zaha has remained as Palace's key man during 2022-23, contributing five goals and one assist from his 11 starts in the Premier League.
The attacker was particularly influential during the opening weeks of the season, netting four times as five points were collected from fixtures against Liverpool, Aston Villa and Brentford.
While his impact has lessened in recent months, Zaha provided an assist during a 2-1 win over Leeds United and scored the winner in a meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers which ended by the same scoreline.
Should a new contract remain unsigned, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur may be among his suitors in the Premier League, while Borussia Dortmund and Roma have been linked with a move in the past.
