Arsenal risk losing Wilfried Zaha to Everton as Crystal Palace demand £80million for winger
EVERTON are prepared to fight Arsenal for the signature of Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, according to reports.
The Gunners have been in poll position to sign the 26-year-old all summer but given their hesitance to meet Palace's £80million valuation, they may have left the door open for the Toffees to pounce.
According to the , the Merseysiders are looking to invest in a new wideman with the £22.5m they received from RB Leipzig for Ademola Lookman.
And Zaha is said to be number one target for the club whose billionaire owner Farhad Moshiri has a track record of splashing the cash.
But convincing the winger may prove the tough part as he admitted a move to Arsenal would be his dream.
And he even told Palace he wants to quit the South London club once he returns from international duty.
Zaha has been on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ivory Coast and still has four years to run on his £130k-a-week contract at Selhurst Park.
But shortly after the 26-year-old's revelation, Roy Hodgson made clear the Gunners were not 'anywhere near' Palace's valuation.
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Arsenal's initial offer was believed to be an embarrassing £40m.
And the penny pinching approach seemingly taken by the North Londoners was one of the drivers behind an angry letter sent to the Arsenal board by fan groups who said owner Stan Kroenke was 'not fit for purpose'.
With Arsenal looking increasingly unlikely to complete a deal for Zaha, they are now being linked with a swoop for Everton Soares instead.