Crystal Palace confirm new deal has been offered to defender

Crystal Palace have confirmed that they have offered a new deal to Nathan Ferguson.

The 22-year-old has played just eight minutes of senior football for the club since arriving from West Brom in July 2020, with his only appearance coming as a substitute in the 3-0 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur in the 2021-22 season under Patrick Vieira.

Ferguson has suffered a horrendous run of injuries at Selhurst Park, recently picking up a hamstring problem which sidelined him for the final seven games of the season.

The former England youth international was set to be out of contract with the Eagles this summer, but the club confirmed they offered the versatile defender a new deal in their recent retained list for next season.

When asked about Ferguson’s recent injury, Roy Hodgson said: “What has happened to him over these three years has been a real tragedy.

“It’s been particularly tough for me to take this time, seeing the disappointment he’s now got to come over once again, because, for two weeks, he was training out there and was looking good.

“I had no warning that he was going to pick up another fairly serious injury, which is nothing like that one which kept him out for years.

“He’s going to have to be very tough. The club will help him as much as we possibly can. I know the players around him will because he’s a popular figure at the club.

“But for him, personally, that’s a real mental challenge to come over. This time, we felt: ‘You’re ready now. You can start seriously knocking on the door and asking for a place in the team.’

“To suddenly find yourself out now until probably next season, that’s a tough, tough ask.

“I hope he can get over it and gets the support he needs. We will do all we can. We’re really, really disappointed for him – he doesn’t deserve that.

“Everything he’s done deserved a better fate than this one.”