Wilfried Zaha has explained what Chelsea legend Didier Drogba told him that triggered the transfer switch from Crystal Palace to Galatasaray.
The Ivory Coast winger ended his spell at Selhurst Park following the expiration of his contract after agreeing on a three-year deal to sign for the Turkish giants. Speaking after being unveiled, the 30-year-old Zaha revealed what his countryman Droba told him before making the move.
“It was a wonderful welcome. Many of our fans were there. This is how I saw how big a club Galatasaray is. I will have the opportunity to play in the Champions League for the first time,” he told the club’s official website, adding: “We will give my contribution when I can and make an effort to move forward. To be honest, I talked to many of my friends before I came, like Drogba, van Aanholt. Drogba told me to come here and see.
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“I’ve stepped in here too. When I wear the jersey, I will give my 100 percent. We want to win the championship for our fans this season.”
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. The winger was purchased by Manchester United for £10m but made only two appearances for the Red Devils before returning to Palace on loan one year later.
It took just six months for the Eagles to make Zaha’s move permanent in January 2015. On October 30, 2021, the attacker became the first Palace player to score 50 top-flight goals for the club when he found the net in a 2-0 win over Manchester City. Over the years, Zaha has been linked with moves away from Selhurst Park, with Palace rejecting offers from Arsenal and Everton in 2019.