Wilfried Zaha was a target for Tottenham last summer and has had an excellent season

Wilfried Zaha is worth at least £40m in the summer transfer market, Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce has insisted.

Zaha, who has had an excellent season for the Eagles despite their battle against relegation, was a target for Tottenham last summer and is expected to interest Spurs again, as well as a number of other clubs.

The Ivory Coast international is contracted at Palace until 2020 and Allardyce wants him to sign another improved deal, but he is concerned that clubs will try to sign the promising forward.

It's a heavyweight week of action this week on Sky Sports with three huge Premier League games. It's a heavyweight week of action this week on Sky Sports with three huge Premier League games.

"Personally, in today's market, absolutely (he's worth £40m). I just hope no one bids it," Allardyce said ahead of a crucial clash with Tottenham, live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Wednesday.

"The problem we have at Crystal Palace, and every football club, is that it's like the housing market. 'What a fantastic price I've got for my house, I've bought it for this price and sold it for that'. But then you have to go into the same market. Stay with what you've got, man.

"People say 'look what they got for that player so let's add another £15-million on top of it'. You're dicing in a dangerous area unless you are clever enough and you can keep it quiet, which is virtually impossible, to do your business before you sell.

"And that's nearly impossible with agents ringing the press and telling you what's happening. It's not always the truth that they tell you but you don't know it's not the truth so you print it.

"As far as I know, Wilfried's contract has a considerable amount of time on it. The summer will bring with it whatever it brings whether that is us negotiating a new contract with him and he wants to stay, or whether some outrageous bid comes along."