WILFRIED ZAHA left the media in hysterics as he revealed whether he was bothered by his failed Manchester United experience.
The 30-year-old left Crystal Palace this summer to join Galatasaray on a free transfer after the expiration of his contract.
Action ImagesWilfried Zaha’s dream move to Manchester United a decade ago ended in disappointment[/caption]
PAHe returns to Old Trafford with Galatasaray tonight in the Champions League[/caption]
And he will be hoping for better luck than his first exit from the Eagles a decade ago.
Zaha was Sir Alex Ferguson’s last-ever signing for United before his retirement in the summer of 2023.
However, the Ivory Coast international was only given 167 minutes of playing action under his replacement David Moyes in a miserable two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford.
After loan spells with Cardiff City and Palace, he eventually transferred back to his boyhood Eagles after making only two Premier League appearances for the Red Devils.
Zaha has returned to the Theatre of Dreams since, memorably scoring twice for Palace in a 3-1 win back in 2020.
And now he is hoping to inflict more misery on out-of-form United tonight when they face Galatasaray in the Champions League group stages.
Following his team’s late arrival in Manchester yesterday, he sat down to face the media ahead of his latest comeback.
And he had reporters in stitches with his response about whether his previous struggles at United still affected him.
With a huge grin on his face, Zaha said: “I’ll be honest, when you look at my face do you think I am bothered at all? No.”
That was met by a huge roar of laughter from those in attendance, but the attacker did then go on to discuss his failed United stint a little more seriously.
He continued: “Realistically I think I went through a phase where you either build from it or you die out from it. And me personally, I was never going to die out from it. It built my character.
“I was determined to not let my career die out because I went somewhere and it didn’t work out.
“I was just determined to reach where I wanted to reach and I am here today.”
Zaha will be desperate for silverware with reigning Turkish title holders Galatasaray having only won one medal so far in his career – a Community Shield while at United.
And he goes into tonight’s showdown right bang in form after scoring his first goal for his new club at the weekend in the 2-1 win over Ankaragucu.
He added: “Obviously Manchester United’s a team that I was at before, I played for them before a long, long time ago.
“Ten years forward, I’m 30 years old. I feel like I’ve matured in my game, I am at a big club, Galatasaray.”
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