Rio Ferdinand makes controversial Newcastle United transfer suggestion involving Allan Saint-Maximin

Rio Ferdinand believes Newcastle United would cause ‘a problem’ for their Premier League rivals by signing Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha.

The Ivory Coast international has become an integral part of the setup at Selhurst Park but will head into the final six months of his current contract when the January transfer window opens. That would allow him to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with a club outside of England ahead of a free transfer move next summer.

There is believed to be significant interest in Zaha, with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea all linked with a move for the winger in recent months. Speaking recently about the speculation surrounding his prize asset, Speaking about his frame of mind as talk over his future continues, Zaha told Sky Sports recently: “I’m happy obviously, I just wanted to kick on from last season so yeah I’m happy. I’m amongst the goals, so I’m enjoying my football. How many times have I seen my name next to transfer stuff? Me, I never speak on these things.

“My contract is up when my contract is up - I’m a Crystal Palace player. The only thing I’m focused on is doing well for the club. That’s it. I take every day as it comes because I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. So I can’t sit here and say: ‘this is my plan for this’. No, I’m only fixated on what I’m doing tomorrow in training and then what I’m doing Sunday. So yeah I’m very devoted to Palace and that’s all I’m thinking about.”

Despite speculation linking Zaha with a move elsewhere in the Premier League, former Manchester United star Ferdinand believes Newcastle should be his next destination and even suggested the Magpies could look to sell winger Allan Saint-Maximin to make the move happen.

Speaking on his Vibe With Five YouTube channel, the former England defender said: “If I am Newcastle, I would buy him (Zaha) straight off. I would take him, and I would sell Saint-Maximin. Or I would have them both. He scores more than Saint-Maximin. Keep Saint-Maximin or whatever, but Wilfried Zaha at Newcastle is a problem.”