OFFICIAL: Wilfried Zaha Completes Move To Galatasaray On A Free Transfer From Crystal Palace.

Wilfried Zaha has on Monday, completed his move to Turkish club side Galatasaray on a free transfer.

Zaha who left Crystal Palace after his contract expired at the end of last season 30th June, reportedly rejected a new four-year contract extension worth £200,000-a-week with Palace, which is the highest in the club's history.

He has consistently been linked with a move away from his boyhood club in recent years having spent the majority of his career at the London club since age 12.

Zaha made his senior debut in 2010 at the age of 17 and quickly became a first-team regular for the Eagles, after helping them gain promotion to the Premier League in 2013.

He further made 458 appearances in all competitions for the Eagles, the third-most in the club's history, scoring 90 goals and registering 76 assists after 13 seasons across two spells at Selhurst Park, and was named the South Londoners' Player of the Year on three occasions.

He scored seven times last season, and wore the captain's armband on multiple occasions before a hamstring injury ruled him out of the last two matches of the campaign.

Zaha joined Manchester United for £10 million in 2013 but he never settled, playing just twice for the Red Devils, and aside from the two loan spells with Palace also went on loan to Cardiff.

Crystal Palace re-signed him on a permanent deal in January 2015, and the Ivory Coast international winger has decided to play outside England for the first time in his career.

His representatives had been approached by Atletico Madrid and other Champions League clubs plus had offers from Lazio, PSG, Fenerbahce and Saudi's outfit Al Nassr, but surprisingly chose to move to Istanbul.

On Sunday, Zaha posted an emotional message to Palace fans on his social media: "As I start a new chapter, I want to speak to you Palace fans who mean so much to me.

"We have been through so much together. There are loads of amazing memories that will stay in my head forever and also some really tough times along the way.

"I've been wearing the Palace shirt since I was eight. It's literally been my second skin and I always gave EVERYTHING when I wore it.

"You have all seen me angry and frustrated but you've also seen my hunger and passion and the joy that I take from winning and I hope that is the memory that lives on in the minds of Palace fans.

"I have been blessed to play in front of you and call you family from the day you accepted me. From the bottom of my heart, I'm forever grateful."

Wilfried Zaha. From Galatasaray.#WelcomeZaha pic.twitter.com/65lAsSFcFn

— Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray) July 24, 2023

Galatasary says Zaha has received a £2m (€2,330,000m) signing-on fee and will be paid £3.76m (€4,350,000m) as salary each season, which breaks down to around £72,000-a-week.

The 30-year-old, signed a three-year deal with the Super Lig side.

 

Okan Buruk's side won the Super Lig title for the first time in four years last term, finishing eight points clear of nearest rivals Fenerbahce.

By winning the title Galatasaray secured entry to the Champions League qualifying round, a competition Zaha could make his debut with the Istanbul giants, when they play the first leg of their UCL second qualifying round tie against Lithuanian side Zalgiris tomorrow night.

Wilfried Zaha's Premier League career by numbers:

305 appearances

68 goals

29 assists

1 goal of the month

1 player of the month