What has happened to Wilfried Zaha in MLS? Ex-Crystal Palace star set to become free agent

From Dean Smith prowling the touchline, to Tim Ream and Harry Toffolo guarding the defense, to Ashley Westwood and Luca de la Torre manning the midfield, there isn't a single MLS team with a stronger Premier League pedigree than Charlotte FC.

However, Charlotte could be set to lose their most prominent expat in the coming weeks: Wilfried Zaha.

When Zaha arrived in January 2025 via Turkish side Galatasaray, he instantly became the city's biggest athletic superstar since Cam Newton's glory days with the Carolina Panthers. After all, this was someone who had proven his worth in the most competitive league in the world and established himself as one of the greatest players in Crystal Palace history.

The clock is ticking on Wilfried Zaha's MLS journey

It didn't take long for the Ivory Coast international to announce his presence, scoring on his debut versus Atlanta United and triggering a loan extension through June 30, 2026 after starting 15 games.

Zaha proved indispensable with 10 goals and six assists in 31 appearances, as Charlotte enjoyed a best-ever fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference.

Zaha has picked up where he left off, assisting in two of his first three matches of the 2026 season before scoring in back-to-back games versus New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union. But despite emerging as their chief creator and executioner, Charlotte haven't been overly keen to renew his contract, with Zaha set to become a free agent in two months.

"My expectation for Zaha’s renewal is that it doesn't happen, both due to the body language as well as things that Zaha and GM Zoran Krneta have said," stated Charlotte FC journalist Caleb Adams.

"Zaha absolutely deserves a new deal; he's indispensable. It would be a huge mistake not renewing him: his impact will be felt, as it is whenever he's suspended due to yellow card accumulation.

"We have no real attacking identity under Dean Smith, and a lot of that is masked because of Zaha's individual ability to open up defences. He still has a solid goal and assist record, but his real value comes in finding that pass that breaks open defensive lines and drawing multiple defenders to him, and finding that outlet to then allow his teammates to go on and score."

He may be 33, but Zaha is proving that he's still got plenty of gas left in the tank, whether that's linking up with Pep Biel and company in attack, threading the needle with a superb through ball, or launching a ferocious shot towards goal. It begs the question: just why aren't Charlotte trying to lock him down to a new deal?

Part of the answer can be attributed to indiscipline. Zaha led Charlotte in yellow cards (10) last season and has amassed nine bookings in his last 12 matches, including a double yellow on the final day which saw him miss the first leg of their playoff match versus New York City FC, eventually losing in three games.

Ultimately, it seems that Charlotte were expecting Zaha to be challenging for the Golden Boot when they made him their highest-paid player with a reported $2.7 million (£2m) guaranteed salary. And it appears they would rather free up a Designated Player slot for a younger option rather than hand Zaha a multiyear extension.

Zaha will in all likelihood close out his Charlotte FC journey before competing in his first-ever FIFA World Cup. But as for Charlotte, they will need to think fast as they look to retool their squad for the final 19 matches of the season and find a way to play their best football without his creative influence.

Charlotte have lost each of their last four matches with Zaha missing the bulk of those defeats, and they sit seventh in the East. They'll be counting on Zaha as they look to bounce back from their U.S. Open Cup exit and New England defeat to get back to winning ways at Cincinnati.