Andros Townsend has an £8m release clause in his contract. One that Alan Pardew and Crystal Palace are ready to trigger as they look to add the winger to their ranks.
Andros Townsend joined Newcastle United back in January to help lead the club out of the relegation zone and into safety. He joined the club in a move that cost Newcastle £12m. The winger had fallen out of favor at Tottenham Hotspur, and when Newcastle United came calling, he said he wanted to join them immediately.
Townsend had a rebirth of form playing for Newcastle. His performances were so good it caught the eye of England’s national coach Roy Hodgson, who added him to his preliminary Euro 2016 squad. However, Townsend failed to make the team.
Yet, Hodgson stated that his decisions about the player’s international role would not be made based on the league in which Townsend resided. This added hope to many Newcastle United fans who fear that the winger may seek to move on.
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Townsend is without doubt an extremely talented player. And England has struggled to find players within their own league worth bringing into the national squad. But Townsend may see things differently. Being left out of the final Euro 2016 squad was heartbreaking for the player, and he may feel that his best chance of getting more regular international appearances lays within the Premier League.
Crystal Palace is hoping to capitalize on this. Alan Pardew’s London side has failed to generate significant attacking chances, and will be hoping to bolster their lineup with playmakers that can change the tone of a game at any minute.
If Palace does trigger Townsend’s release clause, the decision will end up mainly in Townsend’s hands. But after seeing Rafa Benitez make a decision to stay with the club, despite all the shortcomings, it could be a motivator for Townsend to stay and see things through.
Don’t take this story lightly. Despite some people feeling the reports are unfounded, offering Townsend an immediate return to top-flight football isn’t something to scoff at. Crystal Palace needs attacking depth, and Townsend can certainly offer that.
Next: Newcastle United shouldn't sign Patrick Bamford
Andros Townsend is one of the stars that Rafa Benitez is keen on keeping hold of, and he won’t be willing to part with Townsend easily. We’ll see what happens in the coming days if there’s anything to this story, or if maybe it’s one of the many filler transfer rumors in what’s been a relatively slow week.