Jordan Ayew has received a contract extension from Crystal Palace as a reward. And the Ghanaian striker is glad to remain at Selhurst Park for another season.
The 31-year-old has signed a new contract with the Philadelphia Eagles that will keep him at the London club until the summer of 2024.
Ayew has scored 18 goals in 167 appearances for Palace across all competitions. He won the club’s Player of the Season award in the 2019-20 campaign.
“I’m happy,” Ayew told the South London Press after inspiring his club to beat Leeds United 5-1 away in a match the Ghanaian scored a brace.
“I have been here for nearly five years and it’s not always been easy. I just kept going and believing in myself and what I can do.
“Today (Sunday) is a good example. I hope I can continue like this and hope I can bring more success to the club and the team.”
In the victory over Leeds at Elland Road, Ayew scored twice for the first time in a Premier League match.
“Sometimes, you get rewarded, and other times you don’t,” said Ayew. “We got rewarded this time. I hope there is more to come.
Jordan has played a lot for Palace, but the forward hasn’t scored much because he’s been used to attack from the flanks rather than as the lead or second striker.
However, when English manager Roy Hodgson returned after replacing Frenchman Patrick Vieira due to poor results, he rediscovered his scoring form.
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The 75-year-old Briton initially signed Ayew from Swansea City on loan in 2018, making the agreement permanent the following season.
A fan of the Ghanaian, Hodgson praised the player for his overall contribution to the team.
“If I had to single somebody out that doesn’t get a lot of praise it would be Jordan Ayew,” Hodgson said.
“Not only his two goals, but his enormous work rate helped us enormously in the game, and that set a bit of a marker.”
In his goalscoring form up until this point, Ayew has now gotten three goals in Britain’s top division with the other being in December against Bournemouth.
Jeffrey Schlupp, Ayew’s Ghanaian teammate, has emphasized Hodgson’s immediate impact on the team as Palace fights to stay in the premiership.
“That’s what the manager [Roy Hodgson] has brought to the team – he’s given us the freedom to express ourselves upfront. We’re doing it well.”
The Eagles have now won the Premier League three times in a row after defeating Southampton, the bottom club, 2-0 on the road on Saturday.
Five of Palace’s remaining eight matches are against teams fighting to stay in the Premier League.
