Dougie Freedman looks set to remain as Crystal Palace sporting director after rejecting an approach from Newcastle and agreeing a new contract.
The former Scottish striker held talks with Newcastle officials this month about the possibility of succeeding Dan Ashworth, who remains on gardening leave before an expected move to become sporting director of Manchester United. Club sources said Palace chairman Steve Parish was “doing everything he can” to help persuade Freedman to stay, given his impressive recruitment since becoming sporting director in 2019, which includes scouting Marc Guéhi. , Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton, who were named in The England training team for Euro 2024 this week.
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It is understood Freedman has decided to remain at Palace after agreeing a new contract containing a significant pay rise. He played a major role in the selection of Oliver Glasner to replace Roy Hodgson as Palace manager in February and is believed to have had second thoughts about leaving the club again after such a successful end to the season delivered their joint-best result. first division end of the tenth. Freedman had two successful spells as a player at Palace, but controversially left his managerial job to take charge of Bolton in 2012 with Palace in the promotion fight, a decision he has always regretted.
“I knew I made the wrong decision very quickly in my career at Bolton, but it was a decision I made and unfortunately it was a wrong decision,” he said in 2017. “Looking back, of course, I wouldn't have gone, I would have stayed here. and we would have had a promotion (together) and it's probably one of the things that motivates me now to make up for that disappointing decision I made.
Parish paid Newcastle around £2m to hire Alan Pardew as Palace manager in January 2015 and is believed to have demanded a similar fee for Freedman.
Freedman will continue his planning for the summer transfer window, with Palace set to receive offers for some of their star players, including Guéhi, Eze and Michael Olise, who is attracting interest from Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United. Guéhi, who has two years left on his contract, is also wanted by United and is likely to cost around £60m.
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Palace have moved to sign a potential replacement, having submitted an £11.9m bid for Moroccan centre-back Chadi Riad, who spent this season on loan at Real Betis after coming through Barcelona's academy.
