Connor Wickham pens new Palace deal

Connor Wickham has committed his future to Crystal Palace by signing a new contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2021.

The former England under-21 international’s previous deal at Selhurst Park had been due to expire next summer and there were doubts surrounding his long-term future following a number of injury problems.

The 26-year-old missed nearly two years of action due to a serious knee injury picked up in November 2016 and he has only featured sporadically since his return, making six substitute appearances in the Premier League this season.

Wickham did score a memorable goal to help Palace knock Tottenham out of the FA Cup in January and, upon signing his new deal, he has thanked the club for showing faith in him and he is determined to repay that belief over the coming years.

“I’m pleased to have got everything sorted, so I can now fully focus on working my way back into the team during pre-season and the upcoming campaign,” he told the Palace website.

“I hope I’ll be able to show that when fully fit I’m capable of playing a key part.

“It meant a lot that the club backed me after such a serious injury and I hope I’ll be able to repay that faith shown in me.”

Palace finished 12th in the Premier League this season but none of their strikers made it into double figures in terms of goals, and, with Michy Batshuayi’s loan spell from Chelsea due to end, there could well be an opening for Wickham in Roy Hodgson’s starting XI.