In the latest episode of the HLTCO podcast, host Dan Cook has discussed the latest news surrounding Joel Ward and how he is set for a new contract.
If Ward was to be handed a new contract and he accepted, it could see him eligible for a testimonial, having currently been with the club since 2012, requiring two more years to trigger the possibility of such an occasion.
Will Patrick Vieira still be Crystal Palace's manager at the end of the season?
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Last season was another where Ward was called upon and performed consistently, with a 6.55 WhoScored rating in 26 appearances, the second-most of any defender at the club.
Reports have recently confirmed the news that Palace fans will be happy to see, that Ward, the club’s current longest-serving player, will be handed a new deal in the coming days as Patrick Vieira continues to assemble his squad after seeing 12 players become free agents at the end of last season.
He may not be the most glamourous of players, but Cook was happy to relay the news of a new contract on the latest episode of his podcast.
“In relation to the out-of-contract players. It has been reported by Dominic Fifield, who of course is one of the most trusted, if not the most trusted voice in the sports media bubble when it comes to Crystal Palace, that Joel Ward will be signing or at least has signed a new deal with Crystal Palace already.
“That’s a piece of news that has been hugely welcomed from a Palace fans’ point of view as it will take him into his testimonial year. Hopefully, that’s exactly what he gets and we can pack out Selhurst Park.”
TIF Thoughts on Ward staying at Palace…
With it being Patrick Vieira’s first managerial job in the Premier League, it may be wise to keep around a lot of the players that have been there and done it with the Eagles, so that he isn’t ripping up the squad completely and keeps a lot of what Roy Hodgson has put in place over the last few seasons to make them a solid Premier League side.
Ward is also a versatile player who can operate as both a right-back and a left-back which could also be valuable for Vieira, should an injury crisis breakout, much like the unexpected one at Liverpool last season.