By Editor Wayne Veysey | Former Evening Standard, Press Association and Goal chief correspondent with 17 years experience of breaking big stories, including exclusives like this
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Andros Townsend has agreed a £12.9million transfer to Crystal Palace, Football Insider sources understand.
Palace have triggered the release clause in Townsend’s Newcastle contract and reached an agreement with the player on contract terms.
West Ham, Everton and Southampton expressed an interest in signing the England international but the 24-year-old has decided to move to Selhurst Park.
Townsend is set to head to the south London club in the next 48 hours and complete the transfer.
Football Insider reported earlier this month that the winger was weighing up the shock possibility of staying at Newcastle in order to continue working with Rafael Benitez.
But Townsend is now headed for Palace Park as he becomes the first senior Newcastle player to quit following the club’s relegation from the Premier League.
It would also mean a quick return to the city in which he grew up following the attacking midfielder’s January switch from boyhood club Tottenham to the north-east.