Crystal Palace are in talks to renew Cheikhou Kouyate’s contract just six months after Patrick Vieira was looking to offload the midfielder.
According to the Athletic, the Eagles are eager to sign the 32-year-old down to a new short-term contract after a string of impressive performances for the club following Kouyate’s African Cup of Nations triumph with Senegal.
The news comes months after Turkish Football reported that Palace and Vieira were eager to offload the former West Ham midfielder in the summer, with the likes of Galatasaray and Besiktas interested in Kouyate.
Whilst interest remains in the versatile midfielder, with the Athletic noting that clubs from Saudi Arabia are keen on Kouyate, Palace have made a U-turn on the Senegal star, with a new contract now in the works.
As per the report, though, the length of a new deal could be a sticking point for both parties. Kouyate is eager to pen a two-year contract with Palace, whilst the south London club are willing to only extend by just 12 months.
Despite, this, there is confidence that a deal can be reached, and for both Palace and Kouyate, extending the midfielder’s contract is a promising update for Vieira’s side heading into the summer.
Palace are making the right decision opening contract talks with Kouyate
With 15 starts in the Premier League this season, Kouyate has been a consistent presence in the Palace Xi this campaign, and the Eagles are making a smart move in renewing the former R.S.C. Anderlecht star’s contract.
Indeed, whilst Kouyate is reaching the twilight of his career, the AFCON champion is still offering value and quality to the Palace team, and keeping him for an extra year with a new contract is an ideal piece of business that will please supporters.
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