Wilfried Zaha has been spotted training with Crystal Palace once again, sparking speculation about a potential reunion with the club where he made his name, though manager Pierre Sage has moved quickly to dampen expectations of a permanent comeback.
The 33-year-old Ivorian winger, a boyhood favourite among the Selhurst Park faithful across two separate spells at the club, has found himself without a team after his release from Turkish giants Galatasaray following the expiration of his contract. In search of match fitness and a new deal ahead of the upcoming season, Zaha has been working out with Palace's first-team squad at their Copers Cope training base.
Zaha's journey since leaving Palace in 2023 has taken him across three continents. He departed south London chasing Champions League football, joining Galatasaray in pursuit of that ambition. His European adventure got off to a memorable start when he scored against former club Manchester United in a 3-2 victory for the Super Lig outfit at Old Trafford during the group stage.
His path since then has been less straightforward. A loan move to Lyon in 2024 was cut short when the arrangement was terminated in January 2025, prompting a switch to Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC on an 18-month loan. Zaha returned to Galatasaray this summer, only to be let go once his contract expired, leaving him searching for his next challenge.
That search has, for now, brought him back to the club where he is still revered as something of a returning hero. However, new head coach Sage, who replaced Oliver Glasner in the Palace dugout, was measured when addressing the prospect of a reunion ahead of his side's Premier League opener at Everton.
"I am happy to see he has this link with the club and fans but I don't think that he will stay with us," Sage said, acknowledging the emotional connection between Zaha and the Palace supporters while suggesting a permanent stay is unlikely.
The update on Zaha comes amid a busy summer of transfer business for Palace as Sage reshapes his squad. The club has already seen defender Maxence Lacroix depart for Chelsea, while incomings have included free transfer signings Oscar Mingueza and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Winger Dwight McNeil has also joined from Everton as part of a swap deal that saw Brennan Johnson move in the opposite direction to Merseyside.
Palace have also bolstered their options in the wide areas with the additions of young wing-backs Anan Khalaili, signed from Union Saint-Gilloise, and Zavier Gozo, who arrives from Real Salt Lake. Forward Evann Guessand's loan from Aston Villa has been renewed as well, underlining the scale of the rebuild Sage is undertaking as he prepares for his first full season in charge.
While Zaha's future beyond his current training stint remains uncertain, his presence at Copers Cope has undeniably stirred nostalgia among Palace supporters who watched him develop into one of the club's most iconic modern-day figures. Whether that sentiment translates into a fresh contract remains to be seen, but for now, the winger will have to continue proving his fitness and form as he looks to convince Sage otherwise.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.