Chelsea had a shock cash-plus-player bid for Tottenham target Wilfried Zaha rejected by Crystal Palace this summer, claims The Sun.
Zaha has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham this summer but Palace are determined to hold on to their star man for next season.
The Ivory Coast international is determined to secure a move away from Palace and has even turned down an improved contract from the Eagles.
Palace’s contract offer would have made Zaha the best-paid player at the club but the 25-year-old is aware of interest elsewhere.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is determined to sign Zaha in a £45m deal, which is nearly half what Palace value the former Manchester United forward.
However, it has now emerged that Chelsea failed with an audacious bid for Zaha, which involved Michy Batshuayi going the other way.
Chelsea were willing to send Batshuayi to Selhurst Park in addition to £30m, but Palace rejected their bid.
Zaha has developed into one of the best players outside the traditional ‘top six’ clubs in the Premier League in the last 18 months.
Palace would arguably have been relegated had it not been for Zaha last season, as the Eagles lost all nine of the matches he did not start.
Furthermore, only Eden Hazard (165) completed more dribbles than Zaha (119) in the Premier League last term.
