Report: Arsenal Bid £40M for Wilfried Zaha; Eagles Value Winger at £80M

Arsenal have reportedly made a bid of £40 million to sign Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, a player the Eagles value at twice that amount.

According to Sky Sports, Crystal Palace have no intention of selling, and they can hold out for a massive fee after selling full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United. The Red Devils, Zaha's former club, also have a sell-on clause, meaning they're entitled to 25 percent of the fee, so the Eagles are expected to drive a hard bargain.

According to BBC Sport's David Ornstein, the lowball offer was not well received in south London: "As per @SkyKaveh Arsenal have submitted opening bid for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha. No players offered yet as part of proposed deal. Will be rejected & is getting predictably ugly. As previously reported Zaha wants to join #AFC & Emery wants him but #CPFC want huge money."

Per Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, Arsenal are willing to include players in the deal: "Arsenal would be open to including a player, possibly even 2, to get the Zaha deal over the line."

The Gunners have reason to be optimistic a deal can be made. Zaha's brother spoke to Sky Sports, urging the Eagles to grant him his dream move:

"Wilfried will always hold Crystal Palace and their fans in the highest regard and all the support they have given means the world to him.

"It's my brother's dream, though, to play for Arsenal.

"Given all that Wilfried has given to Crystal Palace to help them remain a Premier League club, I hope Palace will be able to see their way to agreeing a deal with Arsenal that allows Wilfried to realise his dream of playing European football for the club he's supported since childhood."

The 26-year-old spent the bulk of his childhood in London and trained at Palace's academy. He joined United in 2013 but returned to Selhurst Park in 2014 on loan before completing a permanent switch back in 2015.

He has steadily improved his efficiency in the attacking third and scored 10 goals in the Premier League for the first time in the 2018-19 campaign.

A transfer seems likely, but the valuation could be a major sticking point. Arsenal have been trying to find bargains this summer and were previously criticised by Celtic manager Neil Lennon for lowballing an offer for Kieran Tierney, per Goal's Chris Burton.