Roy Hodgson: 'No big clubs were in for Wilfried Zaha'

Roy Hodgson has revealed that Wilfried Zaha did not leave Crystal Palace this summer because no top club came in with an acceptable offer.

It was widely reported earlier in the summer that Arsenal had offered a deal worth £40m - to be paid in instalments - for Zaha, which Palace flatly rejected.

As the transfer deadline approached, Everton reportedly offered Palace a players-plus-cash deal worth around £70m, only for Palace to turn down the bid.

Reflecting on the reasons behind Zaha's failed move away from Selhurst Park, Hodgson told The Mirror: "With Wilf, I don't think anyone was thinking we definitely must block him because we want our best player still with us.

"We understood that if a really big offer comes his way and a much bigger club than Crystal Palace want him, and he is desperate to go, we are going to have to try and do some kind of deal.

"The unfortunate thing for Wilf is that offer did not come his way from the sort of club that he would want. I think Steve Parish has made that clear to Wilf and they've thrashed that side of it out."

The former England manager admitted soon after the transfer window closed that Zaha was 'annoyed' with club owner Steve Parish, who was adamantly against selling Zaha for anything under £80m.

Reports have claimed that Zaha, following a frustrating window, has parted ways with his agent, citing the latter's relationship with Parish as the key reason behind his decision.