Wilfried Zaha has long been linked with a move away from Crystal Palace, with some of the top Premier League clubs frequently credited with an interest over the years.

This summer has been no different, with the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal both keen on signing the former Manchester United man, who has started the season in excellent form, hitting three goals in the opening three games of the Premier League campaign.

While Patrick Vieira will be hopeful of keeping the 29-year-old at Selhurst Park this summer, his contract situation is a worrying one.

The Ivory Coast winger will be free to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season as it stands, something which journalist Ryan Taylor feels is a distinct possibility.

He told GiveMeSport about Zaha: “Someone I spoke to believes he will leave on a free transfer next summer.

“He has only got one year left on his contract and he has angled for a move in the past. It has not quite happened with Arsenal or Everton and there’s also been interest from foreign clubs like Napoli, Borussia Dortmund and Roma.”

Zaha will undoubtedly go down as a Palace legend if he does leave the club this summer, having featured 433 times for the Eagles across two separate spells, contributing 86 goals and 73 assists in that time, placing him 11th on the club's all-time scoring list.

While Vieira has overseen a youthful transformation at Selhurst Park since his appointment and has the likes of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi available as potential long-term heirs to Zaha, it would undoubtedly be a big blow if the Ivory Coast international were to leave.

At 29, he still has plenty of years left at the top level and has consistently finished as Palace's top scorer in recent years, enjoying the best goalscoring campaign of his career in the 2021/22 season as he hit 14 goals in the top flight.

Therefore, Vieira will be desperate for Zaha to commit to a new deal at the club before the season ends, as the Eagles' line-up would undoubtedly be weaker without the talismanic winger.