ROY HODGSON will STAY on as Crystal Palace manager next season.
The 75-year-old returned to the Eagles in March after Patrick Vieira was sacked following a dismal run of form.
It was thought that Hodgson would depart in the summer despite a successful two-month stint at the end of the campaign.
But now Sky Sports are reporting he has reached a “verbal agreement” with Palace to remain at Selhurst Park for one more year.
It comes after SunSport exclusively revealed last month that Hodgson was closing in on a deal to stay on.
Club bosses are said to have considered longer term options – with Graham Potter and Paulo Fonseca both thought to be in the frame.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
But they felt the ex-England head coach’s “popularity with the players” along with his results were “key” to him being offered the job next season.
And contracts are expected to be signed “shortly” as Hodgson prepares to extend his stay in West London.
Prior to Hodgson’s second spell, Palace had not won in 13 matches in all competitions.
After returning to the club, Hodgson picked up 18 points from Palace’s final 10 games of the season – a run which included five victories, three draws and just two defeats.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
He is the oldest ever Premier League manager and will turn 76 three days before his side’s opening game of the season away at newly-promoted Sheffield United.
When asked at the end of last season whether he will stay on as Palace boss, he said: “I don’t know. I’ll wait and see if ever that moment comes along and then I’ll make a decision.
“I’m not prepared to say now that’s what I want, or that’s not what I don’t want, because there is no mileage in that for me at all.
“I have had some experiences in the past where I have been burnt with people trying to get me to draw a line under something. But my point is that I don’t want to draw lines.”
It came after he had initially left the club in 2021 following four years at the helm.
Many expected him to retire, but he went on to coach Watford and has now returned for another turn as Palace boss.
But Hodgson could lose star forward Wilfried Zaha shortly after agreeing a new deal.
The Ivory Coast international, 30, who is out of contract at the end of the month, is being linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Lazio have also approached him, although they did so at an inopportune time as he had already jetted off on his stag do.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
