‘Crystal Palace to decide on future of players at the end of the season’

James Shearman

• Updated: 19 May 2021 14:39 BST
• 3 min read

Crystal Palace will decide on the future of many of their players towards the end of the season, according to Eagles winger Andros Townsend.

The London-based club have a number of players facing uncertainty with it being the last year of their respective contracts, but the club aren’t yet willing to negotiate new deals.

These players include: Christian Benteke, Michy Batshuayi, Patrick van Aanholt, Gary Cahill, James McArthur, James McCarthy, Joel Ward, Mamadou Sakho, and Nathaniel Clyne.

Townsend has played 27 times in the Premier League this season and insists he will continue to give everything to the team despite not knowing where his long-term future lies.

“We’ve been told as players that they’re going to make a decision on our futures towards the end of the season,” the 29-year-old told TalkSport.

“We’re gonna have to keep doing what we’re doing and yeah that’s it basically. We’re contracted until July 1 so until then we’ll give everything for the cause.

“It’s difficult but unfortunately it is the times that we’re living in. We’re living in an era where clubs have obviously lost a lot of money from a lack of fans over the last 12 months.

“If I go back to February I was out of the team, I wasn’t playing well. Obviously with contracts running down the turn of the year is when you start thinking right, I’ve got six months left here.

“When I played I really struggled because I was thinking: right, I need to play well and earn a new contract and it wasn’t working. And it’s only since then that I’ve realised what will be will be, you just do what you’re currently doing and things will work themselves out.”

Townsend to leave?

Townsend didn’t give any insight into the consideration of other clubs should he not get the chance to stay at Selhurst Park.

“At the moment, Palace are speaking to nobody [about their contracts] so we’re all in the same boat I think, but you don’t really speak about other clubs you’re speaking to, I’ve just let my agent deal with it,” he explained.

“As soon as the season ends on May 23 then we’ll sit down and we’ll have a chat and go through options but at the moment just let me do my thing, and everyone else is kind of doing the same.”

The experienced winger has registered 16 goals and 27 assists for Palace since his move from Newcastle in 2016.