Sources: Newcastle settle £13m midfielder deal after breakthrough, deal to be completed in hours

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on:

30 Jun 2016, 9:55 am

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.

The goal-scoring winger emerged as a key figure in Newcastle's survival bid under Benitez and his record of four goals in 13 Premier League games for the club was enough to earn him a place in England's provisional 26-man squad for Euro 2016.

But manager Roy Hodgson decided against taking Townsend to France, despite an impressive substitutes’ appearance against Australia at the Stadium of Light.

In other Newcastle news, French giants Marseille are targeting their third Newcastle midfielder.

Newcastle United

Crystal Palace

Andros Townsend

Newcastle