Zaha Gone, But Not Quite

Wilfried Zaha. He's just too good for us!

We all knew it was coming but the day is finally here. Wilf has agreed a five and a half year deal with Manchester United. They will pay Palace £10 million up front with an estimated extra £5 million in additional fees and loan him back for the remainder of the season.

Wilf was quoted as saying: "I am delighted to be joining Manchester United. However, my focus for the next five months will be soley at Crystal Palace".

Sir Alex Ferguson said "We like to sign players with potential. We develop players and that's been proven many times. Hopefully the boy enjoys it here."

The announcement was made this morning and for Palace fans it was one that had been coming for days, weeks, even months.

It's a bizarre situation for us fans. Usually when a player is transferred that's the last you see of him. But this is very different. We have five months to enjoy Wilf and say our goodbyes. He has been a big part of this club for the last couple of seasons and he will be sorely missed. His aim is to take Palace up this season and this may be the catalyst and perhaps one of the reasons why the team has stuttered through the last few weeks. Now that everyone knows the future we can all move forward together, including Wilf, at least until the end of the season!

For me a move for Wilf was to one of two clubs that would look after him. He has chosen one of them and I am chuffed for the lad. It is a shame to lose him but the talent he is has made him almost bigger that Palace. I for one wish him well and I say to United fans, you have a diamond that doesn't need much more of a polish.

The owners always said that they wouldn't let him go for less than £20 million. But this deal is a good one. Perhaps unproven in the top flight, and they are paying for the incredible potential that he has shown at Selhurst. I have no doubt that he will make it and CPFC 2010 have been shrewd enough to work the loan back into the deal. I am confident that they will use the money from the deal wisely. It may see us sign a couple of players before the transfer window closes next Thursday, it might not change what we had already planned. But from here until the end of the season, we should see us break free from these shackles and pick up that promotion challenge.

Perhaps the saying was always going to up this way, 'He's just too good for us!'. Thank you Wilf, it's been and going to be, emotional ...