Arsenal 'interested' in signing Zaha on free transfer amid Bayern competition

Arsenal transfer news: Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha has been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium again

Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has yet again been linked with a move to Arsenal.

The Gunners were keen to sign Zaha back in the summer of 2019 but Palace priced him out of a deal before fellow Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe arrived at the Emirates Stadium for a club-record £72 million instead. Four years later and the north Londoners continue to be mooted as a potential destination for the 30-year-old, with French outlet Foot Mercato reporting that they are in the running to sign him this summer.

Zaha will be out of contract at Selhurst Park in a little over two months, meaning he will be available on a free transfer, with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco all said to be interested in acquiring his services as well. However, logically speaking, a move makes little sense for Arsenal considering their wealth of options in attack.

Mikel Arteta's side already employ Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Reiss Nelson as left-wing options whilst both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are the two main recognised centre-forwards. Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka has locked down the right-wing position, with Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe also alternatives on either flank.

Speaking last year about his failed move to north London in 2019, Zaha told The Greatest Game Podcast: “I had a conversation with the manager actually. [Unai] Emery was just like, ‘We don’t really need to go through much’. He said he’d seen me play, he knows I can change games at any time and stuff like that.

"He was like, ‘Yeah we’d love to have you’ and I was just like, ‘Yeah I’d love to come’. The conversation was rather straightforward because I played against him when he was manager of Arsenal.

"He saw what I could do, saw my work-rate, and what I could add to the team. Obviously, it was up to the club who they chose and they chose Pepe over me.”