(Reuters) - Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha is committed to helping the club in the new Premier League season despite the disappointment of missing out on a deadline day move away from Selhurst Park, manager Roy Hodgson said on Friday.
Zaha, 26, was linked to both Arsenal and Everton during the English transfer window, which closed on Thursday, but Palace refused to accept offers below their 80 million-pound valuation of the Ivory Coast international.
"He's as I expected he would be... he's a professional and realises that... he's committed to the club and helping us to do what we need to do to stay in the league," Hodgson told a news conference ahead of Saturday's league opener against Everton.
"I can't say to you that he's jubilant, I can't say to you that he's delighted with the situation because it's not the outcome that he wanted.
"We were waiting to see what the outcome would be and for us it was very good because Wilf is still with us and we're looking forward to again benefiting from the skills he brings to us and help us win matches."
Palace later said captain Luka Milivojevic had signed https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/2019/august/luka-milivojevic-signs-palace-contract-extension a new four-year deal that will keep him at the club until 2023.
The 28-year-old Serbian midfielder played every minute of every league match last season and scored 12 goals as Palace finished 12th.
"Luka has been a fantastic player and leader for the club for two-and-a-half years. His contribution has been immense and I'm delighted that he has agreed to pledge his long term future to Palace," club chairman Steve Parish said.
James Tomkins (groin), Mamadou Sakho (knee) and Jeffrey Schlupp (ankle) who missed the end of last season with injuries, would not be ready for Palace's opener on Saturday.
However, Senegal's Cheikhou Kouyate and Ghana's Jordan Ayew, who like Zaha took part in the recent Africa Cup of Nations, will be in contention to feature against Everton.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
