Friday 19 January 2018 11:05, UK
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson insists he is not bothered by comments made by his predecessor Frank de Boer, who recently linked Wilfried Zaha with a move to Premier League rivals Liverpool.
De Boer, who was sacked by the Eagles earlier this season after just five games in charge, claims Zaha has the ability to play for a "much bigger club" than Palace and believes the Ivory Coast international would be a welcome addition at Anfield.
"Liverpool would be a great club for him but I'm going to see what he does in the future, I'm very interested in him because I think he has a great potential," De Boer told FourFourTwo.
"He can play for a much bigger club than Crystal Palace, that's for sure, I'm 100 per cent convinced."
Hodgson admits Palace must continue to improve if they are to keep hold of Zaha but refused to be drawn into a war of words over the winger with his predecessor at Selhurst Park.
"That doesn't bother me at all. It would surprise me if anybody was asked about Wilf Zaha if they don't say about him what I would say about him; I think he's an excellent player," said the former England manager.
"What he's done for Crystal Palace during my short time has been nothing but exceptional and I also know that he did an awful lot in the years before I came to the club so it would surprise me enormously if people did not say Wilf Zaha is a player with a very bright future who can go far.
"I think it's up to us at Crystal Palace to try and keep improving our team and try to keep persuading him that he doesn't need to move further afield to get the quality of football he needs and to play at the level he wants to play at.
"I certainly have nothing against anybody making those sort of positive comments."
