ROY HODGSON is closing in on a deal to take charge of Crystal Palace next season.
The veteran is keen to extend his second spell as Eagles boss beyond his current successful ten-match caretaker stint.
And chairman Steve Parish is understood to be seriously considering handing him a one-year contract.
The former England boss, who turns 76 in August, is already the oldest manager in the history of English top-flight football.
But he has made it clear he does not consider himself to be ‘retired’ and would like to manage beyond this campaign.
Hodgson left Palace by mutual consent in 2021 but returned for a short, unsuccessful spell at Watford last season before he replaced Patrick Vieira at Selhurst Park in March.
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With five wins in eight games so far, Hodgson has comfortably steered Palace to Premier League safety.
And while Parish had been lining up potential permanent bosses from the Continent, he is now torn over whether to stick with Hodgson.
Apart from a significant upturn in results under Hodgson, Parish is said to be impressed with the way in which forward Eberechi Eze has improved under the veteran.
And Hodgson also has an excellent working relationship with Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha, who is out of contract this summer and yet to agree new terms.
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Zaha is set to miss the final two matches of the season — with the Eagles waiting to learn whether the icon has played his last game for the club.
Parish felt Palace stagnated under Hodgson towards the end of his initial four-year spell but, after Vieira’s 18-month reign ended in failure, he returned to the experienced boss and has seen him excel.
And now the Eagles sit 12th in the table and 12 points from the drop.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
