£15m deal for Wilfried Zaha likely to see Nani depart Manchester United

Manchester United have struck a deal with Crystal Palace for Wilfried Zaha

Simon Rice
Thursday 24 January 2013 17:14 GMT
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Crystal Palace are deeply divided over whether to sell Wilfried Zaha this month
Crystal Palace are deeply divided over whether to sell Wilfried Zaha this month (Getty Images)

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Manchester United are set to sign Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha in a £15m deal.

The England international has been one of the most talked about players during the current transfer window, linked with moves to a host of Premier League sides including Arsenal and Tottenham.

However, it would seem his future lies at Old Trafford with the 20-year-old set to undergo a medical in the next 48 hours after a fee was agreed.

The BBC reports that Manchester United will pay £10m up front, with the fee potentially rising to £15m depending on the player's appearances and success.

Zaha will immediately be loaned back to Crystal Palace so he can complete the season at Selhurst Park and aid their push for promotion.

Zaha's arrival is likely to spell the end of Nani's time as a Manchester United player.

Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been instrumental in swinging the Zaha deal in United's favour, already has a wealth of wide options at his disposal.

Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia tend to fill the positions on the left and right of United's midfield, while the arrival of Shinji Kagawa in the summer has caused a selection headache as Ferguson tries to find a position for the Japanese international. Ryan Giggs' performances this term also suggest he will renew his contract for another year.

Nani has found regular first team football hard to come by and the arrival of Zaha will only make that tougher.

The Portuguese international, who joined from Sporting Lisbon in 2007, will see his contract expire in the summer of 2014, and it seems unlikely he will pen a new deal.

Arsenal have reportedly shown interest in signing the 26-year-old.

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