Arsenal are plotting a player-plus-cash offer for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, with Unai Emery prepared to offload three members of his squad.
According to the Daily Mirror, the Gunners have already seen a £40 million bid for the 26-year-old turned down during the current window, with the Eagles set to hold out for a fee within the region of £80 million.
The Ivory Coast star enjoyed a stellar 2018-19 campaign, contributing five assists and ten goals in 34 Premier League appearances to help Palace finish in mid-table, but he has expressed a desire to move on to a new challenge.
The Mirror reports that Arsenal are prepared to offer three players as part of a deal to sign Zaha, with Calum Chambers, Carl Jenkinson and Mohamed Elneny all marked for a potential switch.
Emery has no use for the trio next season and the Gunners lack sizeable transfer funds after failing to qualify for the Champions League, which makes using one of the players in question as a makeweight to land a primary target the ideal solution.
It is believed that Zaha wants to seal a move to Emirates Stadium, having supported Arsenal in youth, but Palace are determined to make another large profit, having already sold Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United for £50 million this summer – as per Sky Sports.
So far, Emery has only managed to bring in Brazilian striker Gabriel Martinelli in the market and extra reinforcements will be needed if the Spanish boss is to improve on his first year in England.
Zaha would be an exciting signing for Arsenal and he has the quality to add a new dimension to the team’s attack, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette lacking support up front.
Palace, meanwhile, could make good use of Jenkinson, Chambers or Elneny and still have funds spare to buy one of two extra new players of their own, which means this proposed deal might be in the best interests of both parties.
