Gareth Southgate bids to stop Wilfried Zaha switching his allegiance to the Ivory Coast
England manager wants to talk to frustrated Palace winger before he makes a final decision on his international future
WILFRIED ZAHA will get a last-ditch call from Gareth Southgate to try and talk him out of defecting to the Ivory Coast.
The winger was upset he was snubbed by England, despite his stunning form for Crystal Palace, and submitted a request to Fifa to switch allegiances.
Zaha, 24 — who won two friendly caps for the Three Lions — was overlooked for games against Scotland and Spain.
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But the new England boss managed Zaha in the Under-21s and said: “We’re still hopeful we can speak to Wilf.
"I had a few days to make a decision and had a squad that had done well in October and wanted to build on that.
"We had Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling coming into that. But he is in a good moment with his club and I’ll talk to him before he makes that decision final."
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Zaha was born in the Ivory Coast before moving to England as a four-year-old making him eligible for his country of birth.
Indeed, the Ivorian Football Federation has launched a serious bid to secure Zaha's international future.
And having grown frustrated at his lack of England chances, the forward has decided to take up the IFF's offer and has even been photographed holding the nation's shirt.
Southgate celebrated becoming full-time England boss by watching Zaha and his old club Crystal Palace thrash Southampton 3-0 at Selhurst Park.
It was back to his old stomping ground for the former Eagles skipper, who insists life in south London toughened him up for some of soccer's ordeals to come.