Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has bought his first football club, becoming the owner of Ivorian club Espoir Club D’Abengourou.
That’s according to Press Cote D’Ivoire and Sport-Ivoire, who both report on his purchase of the club today.
The former state that the Crystal Palace man officially bought the club on Thursday alongside his brother Carin Zaha, who is now their vice-president.
They state that his intention is to turn the club into ‘an elite club’ in the future, with them currently competing in the third division in the country.
The latter back it, explaining that Zaha bought the club via his brother Carin, who represented the Premier League star in the matter.
The amount for the transaction is yet to be disclosed, nor his reason for buying Espoir Club D’Abengourou in particular, but the purchase has been confirmed by the Zaha family to the outlet.
Indeed, they carry quotes from Carin, who they say also runs the Crystal Palace’s man’s charity, the Zaha Foundation.
“We have an U19 academy. We will play in the Division d’Honneur this season,” he is quoted as saying.
“The objective is obviously to go up, but first we want our youngsters to be in good shape and gain experience.”
Zaha becomes the latest footballer to own a club in the country, alongside the likes of Yao Gervais and Max Gradel, while Franck Kessie and Jean Edvard Kouassi own training centres in the country.
