Wilfried Zaha named in the Ivory Coast's provisional squad for the Africa Cup of Nations
Thursday 29 December 2016 12:48, UK
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has been named in the Ivory Coast's provisional squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 24-year-old has previously won two caps for England but both came in friendly matches so he is free to play for the country of his birth.
Zaha recently decided to switch allegiance, having grown frustrated at his lack of England recognition, with his last cap coming in 2013. He recently asked world governing body FIFA to allow him to play for the Ivory Coast.
New England manager Gareth Southgate said earlier this month that he would like Zaha to remain eligible for the Three Lions and planned to speak to the player.
However, he will now have to wait to see if the former Manchester United player answers the Ivory Coast's call for the tournament, which begins in Gabon next month.
"We're still hopeful that we can speak to Wilf," Southgate said earlier this month. "I saw him at Everton, where he played OK. I saw him at Burnley, where in the second half he was excellent.
"He's certainly somebody that I think has talent, is in a good moment with his club and ideally I'd like to talk to him before he makes that decision. I would like to speak with him before we make a decision on whether we are happy to let that happen."
If Zaha does decide to participate, then struggling Palace will be without one of their star performers this season for up to six weeks.
Palace chairman Steve Parish tweeted that Zaha's decison is "a huge blow for England in my view but I can assure you that we all totally support him in his decision."
Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, Stoke's Wilfried Bony and Sunderland's Lamine Kone are also in the 24-man squad.
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