Premier League Star Wilfried Zaha Signs with Charlotte FC
Zaha is the biggest signing in club history.
Images courtesy Charlotte FC/Taylor Banner.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The worst-kept secret in MLS is finally official: forward Wilfried Zaha has joined Charlotte FC on loan from Turkish top-flight club Galatasaray, bringing a solid English Premier League resume to Charlotte for the club’s biggest-ever signing.
Zaha will occupy both an international roster slot and a designated player slot on Charlotte FC’s roster. The one-year loan concludes on January 17, 2026, with Charlotte retaining the option to extend the loan through June 30, 2026.
The former Crystal Palace star will wear the number 10 at Charlotte and is expected to be a critical offensive piece for the Crown’s 2025 campaign. During his time with Palace, his fast pace and technical skill confounded defenders, often forcing them to foul to prevent goal scoring opportunities. By 2019, Zaha had induced more red cards from opposition players than any other Premier League footballer at the time.
Zaha told reporters at a virtual press conference on Monday that he expects to play on the left wing - his preferred position - based on his conversations with head coach Dean Smith, and he has already been training with the team in Florida.
“The love I’ve had from me being here for a couple of days, from the players, from the staff, everything … it makes me feel like this is a better journey for me,” said Zaha.
Smith’s stature - as a former Premier League coach - also played a role in bringing Zaha to Charlotte.
“[Smith’s] seen me play numerous times, I’ve played against his teams numerous times, and he’s very down-to-earth, so we had proper conversations which did help,” said Zaha. “He’s managed for years in England, so he understands the game well.”
Zaha also mentioned playing against Charlotte FC captain Ashley Westwood, who played in England’s top flight at Aston Villa and Burnley.
“And Westy, we’ve played against each other many times,” said Zaha. “I see what he’s capable of, he knows what I’m capable of, so us coming together makes a lot of sense. We’d work well together.”
After leaving the Premier League and switching his national team allegiance from England to Côte d'Ivoire, Zaha’s career has slowed down. Since being loaned to French top-flight club Lyon from Galatasaray, he only played four times - something he hopes to change in Charlotte.
“I’m very motivated, I just need to get back on the pitch,” said Zaha. “The reality is, I don’t look elsewhere for confidence, I look for confidence in myself … once I get back on the field, I just want to show what I can do to everyone.”
The stakes are not only high for Zaha and Charlotte; they’re also significant for Charlotte FC general manager Zoran Krneta.
In a prepared statement, Krneta celebrated Zaha’s signing: “He provides valuable versatility in the attacking areas of the pitch and adds that little bit of magic to our front line that can help us win more games. We are delighted to add a player of Wilfred’s pedigree and experience to our squad, and we’re excited to welcome him to Charlotte.”
After a rocky track record with high-cost designated player signings, Krneta and the club need Zaha to be worth the price, and the hype. Previous DPs Kamil Jóźwiak and Enzo Copetti were busts for the young club, and while star forward Karol Świderski has been productive for Charlotte during his two stints at the club, it often seemed during his first tenure like he wanted to be someone else.
The two most recent DP signings - Liel Abada and Pep Biel - have shown promise and room for growth, but neither has been as much as a revelation up front as Patrick Agyemang, who came out of the MLS SuperDraft and Charlotte FC’s second team to lead the club in scoring last year. Biel dropped the DP tag to return for a second loan.
Soccer Sheet asked Krneta about how important it is for Zaha’s signing to be a success during a press conference announcing Zaha’s signing. He told us that the club has been built up to the point where this level of signing is possible.
“For this transfer window, this is the biggest deal,” said Krneta. “If you want to go to the next level, to the top level, this is what we need. We need a top guy to perform.”