May 17 2006

Mikele Leigertwood

Mikele Leigertwood is confident he will be a Crystal Palace player next season after he was offered a new contract with the club this week, by Stuart Pink.

The Palace midfielder's deal runs out in the summer and he is in talks with Bob and Iain Dowie.

The 23-year-old has always stated his intentions to stay with Eagles and hopes a deal will be finalised in the next week.

Leigertwood said: "Talks are on-going at the moment and hopefully negotiations will progress nicely and the deal can get sorted.

"I'm confident I will stay with the club."

The ex-Wimbledon man is set for a busy summer as his partner is due to give birth in the two next weeks, meaning he will be experiencing the delights of changing nappies while his teammates are jetting off to exotic locations for their summer holidays.

But Leigertwood believes they will come-back refreshed and even more determined for a successful Championship season, despite dealing with the added distraction of speculation surrounding players coming and going.

"We've got a lot of big players at this club so obviously a lot of players are going to be linked with other clubs," added Leigertwood.

"But as long as we stick together and show the commitment and desire we showed last Tuesday in every game next season then I'm sure we'll get automatic promotion next year."

Talk of players leaving Selhurst Park is already in full swing with Andrew Johnson's potential departure set to dominate.

Everton and Wigan were the first Premiership clubs to be linked with the striker after the Eagles' Championship existence was confirmed last Tuesday, but Champions league finalists Arsenal are the latest club rumoured to have entered the race.

Johnson, a life long Arsenal fan, would jump at the chance to join the Gunners if Palace did allow him to leave, but north London rivals Spurs would seem to be the likelier destination if they sell AJ's fellow England stand-by striker Jermain Defoe.

Palace keeper Gabor Kiraly is the first Eagles player to go on record and admit he is tempted to leave Selhurst Park.

The Hungarian, who missed only three Championship games this season, has indicated that he wants to be playing at a higher level next season and may well get his wish. With only one year on his contract remaining Dowie may want to cash in on his keeper now, rather than lose him for nothing next summer.

Kiraly said: "I have one year left on my contract and want to be playing in the Premiership.

"Last season I was voted the second-best keeper in the Premiership behind Petr Cech. At my old club Hertha Berlin I was playing Champions League and UEFA Cup football every year and I have over 60 caps for my country.

"I have always wanted to play at the highest level and for me, that's the Premiership."

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