Chelsea eye £80m Wilfried Zaha move in January if they can overturn transfer ban

CHELSEA will table an £80million bid for wantaway Wilfried Zaha in January — if they succeed in overturning their transfer ban.

Crystal Palace star Zaha reluctantly agreed to stay at Selhurst Park on deadline day, but only until the winter window.

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Zaha reached an uncomfortable truce with Palace supremo Steve Parish after being denied a money-spinning move to Everton.

The Selhurst Park side believe the Scousers ‘got to him’ and tried to pile on the pressure to force through the move.

Winger Zaha handed in a transfer request on Wednesday and did not train with the Eagles yesterday after boss Roy Hodgson admitted the player’s head was not clear.

The Eagles host Everton in their season opener tomorrow and there are major questions over whether the 26-year-old will be in the right frame of mind to play.

STUCK LIKE TOFFEE

The Toffees were willing to put together a £100m package of cash plus players to make the move happen before yesterday’s 5pm transfer deadline.

They were also prepared to bump up Zaha’s £130,000-a-week wages to over £200,000 in a bid to tempt him to the North West.

But Palace chairman Parish refused to be bullied into the move after becoming frustrated with Everton’s tactics.

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The Londoners have reluctantly agreed to revisit Zaha’s future in January — when other clubs will be desperate to add to their attacking prowess.

Everton are unlikely to come back in for him after landing Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi in a £38m deal last night.

Chelsea, who are convinced they can escape a transfer ban and start buying players again in the new year, will be alerted to Zaha’s predicament.

He signed a contract extension last summer that runs until 2023.

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And Hodgson told Sky Sports News: “He’s staying and we’re pleased about that. I sent him home, it being the last day of the transfer window, because it’s well documented he wanted to leave.

“His beef is with the chairman and the owners, because they didn’t receive an acceptable offer.

“But when you sign long-term contracts, you have to accept this kind of thing and come to terms with that. I certainly don’t have a problem with him.”