Andros Townsend has definitively ruled out a return move to Newcastle United, with the winger keen to remain with current club Crystal Palace, according to Sky Sports News.
The news outlet claim their website that the 27-year-old has no intentions of moving to any club and wants to stay at the Eagles, with the player himself stating he wants to stay at Selhurst Park “for many years.”
Townsend, who signed for Newcastle in 2016, was unable to prevent the Magpies from suffering relegation and departed to Palace the following summer.
Sky Sports News also claimed that Townsend was to make a shock return with Newcastle willing to offload Matt Ritchie to finance the deal but it now looks unlikely that the 13-capped England international will be returning to Tyneside anytime soon.
OPINION
Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez is desperate for more players to be signed within the next few days and Townsend endured a successful brief stint at the club despite the club’s relegation to the second tier. The Magpies have been made to put up with a majority of poor wingers for a few years but the London-born did impress the supporters with four goals in 13 games. Crystal Palace team mate, Wilfried Zaha, is another player linked with a move away from Selhurst Park and Townsend could be seen as an attacking player that manager Roy Hodgson will want to retain in his squad for the upcoming season. With a limited squad already, Rafael Benitez will be relying on first-team players to remain fit for a long majority of the season otherwise injuries could result in having to field inexperienced squad members for Premier League matches. Although the Spaniard worked wonders with the squad last season, it looks like he may be required to complete the same feat once more.