Premier League rivals West Ham United and Crystal Palace appear to have missed out on Jon Moncayola after the La Liga ace signed a stunning ten-year contract at Osasuna.
And here we were thinking Alan Pardew had the longest contract in football history.
Osasuna obviously wanted to retain the services of one of the most underrated midfielders in the Spanish top flight, especially after Moncayola played a major role in their impressive mid-table finish.
Rewarding a player with a new deal is one thing, but handing him a contract that won’t expire until Cristiano Ronaldo is in his mid-40s is something else entirely.
West Ham bid for Moncayola looks over as Palace dreams end too
“I am very happy to continue here and tremendously happy with this renewal for so many years,” a thrilled and seemingly baffled Moncayola told Osasuna’s official website.
“My preference has always been to continue here. The club has a very solid project in mind and I wanted to be part of it.
- ‘GREAT PLAYER’: Teammate backs £30m star to shine at West Ham
- REPORT: Club wants to sell Crystal Palace target for £9m
“I would like to thank everyone – I feel valued.
“I think the club has a project for many years and people like David (Garcia) or (Ante) Budimir have signed contracts of four or five years. I, being younger, have been able to sign some more.
“(I have) full confidence in the project.”
Whether Basque-born Moncayola actually sees out that contract – one that would keep him at Osasuna until 2031 – is anyone’s guess.
And we can only assume the Pamplona-based outfit has removed any mention of that pesky £10 million release clause too.
In late May, AS reported three Premier League clubs, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Watford, were all weighing up summer bids for the classy 23-year-old.
However, it seems David Moyes can put this one on the back burner for a while…
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
