Stoke City veteran Peter Crouch is in line for a new contract. The 36-year-old salvaged three points in the last match against Southampton by getting a late winner and Stoke gaffer Mark Hughes hinted that the former Liverpool forward might be given a new extension.
The English international only put pen to paper on a new contract in January but Hughes is ready to offer him fresh terms. Negotiations will start shortly and we could expect an announcement very soon. Crouch was signed from Tottenham Hotspur in 2011 for a fee of £10m and went on to feature in more than 200 games for the Potters.
At 36, he is still going strong and the way he is playing right now he has a long way to go. Crouch renewed his stay by signing a one-year extension this year and it was expected to be his last contract for the Potters but the way he has performed has compelled the gaffer to change his mind.
Hughes emphasized on Crouch’s importance. “He’s still doing things he was doing at 26, 27 and as long as he does he will remain effective at this level. Crouchy is invaluable. He’s a great guy, a fantastic personality to have within your club. He’s been doing that kind of thing all through his career.”
Misfiring Saido Berahino has drawn sheer criticism for his performance as the 24-year-old forward has a goal drought for 32 games. The striker hasn’t found the back of the net since securing a move to the BET365 Stadium from West Bromwich Albion.
Crouch kick-started his Premier League career for Aston Villa and later went on to represent Spurs, Liverpool, Southampton and Portsmouth. The 36-year-old could emulate Zlatan Ibrahimovic ‘s role at Manchester United.
The former Belgian international was one of the high-profile free transfers and was very quick to adapt to the Premier League. He helped United to win the FA Cup as he scored the winning goal to tame Southampton in the EFL Cup final.
Zlatan played a major role last season in United’s resurgence and Crouch could avail a similar kind of service at the BET365 Stadium. The forward is hugely experienced in the Premier League but we cannot expect him to play in every game as it is very hard to remain in good shape at this age.
Crouch still has a lot to offer despite his growing age so offering him a new contract will help the club to move into the right direction.
