The savvier members of the Crystal Palace fanbase may view the announcement of Tyrick Mitchell’s new contract as something of a public relations exercise, a happy distraction from Saturday’s four-goal mauling at the hands of Chelsea.
But, putting cynicism aside for a second, it’s certainly a positive development after a disheartening couple of days for Roy Hodgson’s side.
Academy graduate Mitchell has been a bright spark in a frustrating campaign after all.
And, after London rivals Arsenal made their interest known, according to the Standard, tying the young left-back down to a long-term deal until summer 2025 feels like a coup.
The news comes after much-admired teenager Jesurun Rak-Sakyi put an end to doubts over his future too. Crystal Palace are building for the future and a pair of home-grown talents have a big part to play in the transition from one era to the next at Selhurst Park.
For Arsenal, however, their pursuit of a new left-sided defender has just become more difficult.
The lack of depth available to Mikel Arteta has been brutally exposed by Kieran Tierney’s potentially season-ending injury, with Granit Xhaka forced to fill in against Sheffield United on Sunday.
And it’s clear Mitchell won’t be the solution to Arsenal’s left-back problem.
Here’s what some Palace fans had to say on Twitter about Mitchell’s new contract:
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