GRAEME Souness says Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha is good enough to be playing at Barcelona or Real Madrid.

The tricky forward became the Eagles’ all-time leading goalscorer since the Premier League’s inception in 1992, bagging his 24th goal for the club in their 2-1 defeat to Watford.

Former Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Souness has publicly praised the former England representative, who switched his international football allegiance from England to the Ivory Coast after being overlooked despite good form.

“He’s sensational,” said the ex-Reds hard man on Sky Sports.

“I could see him playing for Real Madrid, that’s how good he is.

“I think there’s maybe a handful of players, even outside of our own league, that have got his kind of ability.

“His change of direction and the balance he’s got is quite unique and I think that’s why he gets fouled quite a lot.

“He should get more penalties than he does, I don’t see him as a diver, he’s just a unique talent.”

The panel went on to say that it was a brilliant piece of business to keep him at the club.

“With the upmost respect to Crystal Palace, and maybe he has been scarred by the experience of Man United, he’s ready for a big big club - the biggest clubs,” said Souness.

“If he stays here (at Palace) until the end of his career, he’s going to end up with no trophies, no medals and be saying ‘what if’.

‘I think he’s ready to go outside to the big two in Spain, I think both of them would welcome him with open arms.

“He’s a door opener, there’s not too many of those players around and he’s unique in our football - I’m an enormous fan of his.

“I think of Laurie Cunningham (first Englishman to play for Real Madrid) who left West Brom and went to Real Madrid - he is in that league.

“He’s got stuff that gets you on the edge of your seat, he’s a unique player.”

Zaha was close to leaving Selhurst Park during the transfer window, with Chelsea and Tottenham the frontrunners to sign the 25-year-old.

But the speculation of an exit ended abruptly when he put pen to paper on a long-term contract with the Eagles reportedly worth $A228,000-a-week until 2023.

Palace currently sit 11th on the Premier League table, and take on a winless Southampton next weekend.