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da heads bet： Crystal Palace’s first big decision of the transfer window wasn’t to sell Wilfried Zaha, nor was it to splash the big bucks on Michy Batshuayi – instead, the Eagles tied down Connor Wickham until 2021, with the 26-year-old signing a one-year extension in his current deal.
The target man has fallen way down the pecking order due to injuries and has spent much of the last four years on the treatment table, so the news that his stay at SE25 has been extended surely comes as a surprise to most at and faithful to Selhurst Park.
The former Sunderland striker featured for only the sixth time in the league – a number of appearances that belies the mere 60 minutes he accumulated – this season in the victory over Bournemouth on the final day, coming off the bench in the latter stages.
Having netted just 10 times in four seasons in red and blue, the number 21 has some serious work to do on the pitch if he’s to convince the fans that this was a good decision, but what do Football FanCast’s writers think about it? Read on for their verdicts…
James Bayliss
“I personally think Wickham has always had something to offer. He’s a decent player but lacks consistency in form and fitness. Given the uncertainty around Batshuayi’s future and Benteke’s poor form, it’s probably good to tie Wickham down for now.”
Luke Glanville
“Crystal Palace were shockingly wide of the mark in offering Connor Wickham a new two-year contract. The 26-year-old has appeared just 42 times for the Eagles since signing from Sunderland four years ago. Not one Premier League club should possess a player this injury-prone. Wickham has suffered six injuries as a Palace player and I have no idea why they suddenly think that his injuries are going to stop and he’s going to be value for his wages. How good even is the centre-forward when he is fit? This truly is a disastrous move by the South Londoners.”
There’s some exciting changes happening at Crystal Palace next summer. Find out what in the video below…
Matt Dawson
“It’s absolutely astonishing that Wickham has been given a new deal by Crystal Palace. It’s a terrible decision and after starting just one game all season makes zero sense. In him and Benteke they have two forwards who simply aren’t up to the task and if the Eagles lose Zaha too they could be in great danger. Wickham isn’t someone who will fill Palace fans with confidence and it’s incredibly surprising to see that he’s been tied down further. Now would have been the perfect opportunity to try and ship him on.”
Billy Meyers
“Crystal Palace could just be adding to their own problems by tying Connor Wickham down to a new two-year contract. The former Sunderland man has barely featured for the club across the last two seasons and his fitness is a real issue for the Eagles; you simply can’t rely on him staying injury-free. Unless the Englishman has accepted majorly reduced terms, this is a massive mistake by Palace and will just make their already hefty wage bill harder to trim.”