Roy Hodgson: Wilfried Zaha 'Happy' with Crystal Palace Stay Amid Arsenal Rumours

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has said talisman Wilfried Zaha remains happy at the club, and all talk of the player joining a UEFA Champions League club is only natural for one so talented. 

Zaha, 26, scored a crucial second for the Eagles as they edged a 3-2 victory away at Arsenal on Sunday. The former Manchester United winger suggested in a recent interview with the Daily Mail's Adrian Kajumba that he'd like to play in Europe's top-tier competition and doesn't "want to be at home watching it." 

Outside interest in the player is nothing new, but Hodgson told reporters after Sunday's shock win that he wanted to see Zaha at Selhurst Park for years to come: 

"The bottom line is this: he's our player, and he's certainly happy. That wasn't the performance of a guy looking to get away from his club.

"He's on a four-year contract, he's one of our highest-paid players and he's absolutely adored by the fans and everyone in south-east London.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm looking forward to working with him not only in the near future, but I'm looking forward to seeing him in the Crystal Palace shirt for many years to come."

The Ivory Coast international is gathering interest again after a fine 2018-19 campaign for the Eagles. Arsenal have been associated with the player in the past, and Sami Mokbel of the Mail On Sunday wrote Palace would sell their star this summer for £80 million.

Squawka highlighted his key contributions during their recent triumph at the Emirates Stadium, their first away victory against the Gunners since 1994:

Hodgson continued: "The question is how many players, if the question is put to them, would say: 'I don't want to play Champions League football.' You just congratulate the journalist; he's caught him at the right moment and extracted an honest answer out of him."

Zaha has shared the attacking burden at Palace with nine goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, and OptaJoe pointed out he has a particular knack for netting in unfamiliar territory:

His only previous experience at a club competing in the Champions League didn't go to plan. Zaha left Palace for United in January 2013 but rejoined the south London club two years later, having made only four first-team appearances for the Red Devils under managers David Moyes and Louis van Gaal.

There's a temptation to feel that may have been Zaha's big break, although the forward was relaxed on his Selhurst Park future when he spoke to Sky Sports' Alex Scott at the end of last summer:

Another impressive season with Palace may have changed his outlook once again, though Hodgson is right in that Zaha's contract until June 2023 means his situation is tenable for the time being.

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour recently appeared on TalkSport and said he believed the player is worth the kind of major price tag that's been linked with his name:

Hodgson appears calm on the matter for the time being, but Zaha's own motivation to test himself in deeper waters once more could mean it's only a matter of time until he departs his boyhood club again.