Arsenal warned away as Crystal Palace tie down starlet to long contract

Tyrick Mitchell has signed a contract extension with Crystal Palace to keep him at Selhurst Park until 2025, putting links with Arsenal on the backburner.

The 21-year-old made his Premier League debut in July 2020 and has played 14 times for Roy Hodgson’s side in all competitions during the current campaign. In total, he has made 18 appearances across his two seasons at senior level with the club.

He was even outlined as a possible target for Arsenal as his contract ticked down. There was confusion about when his deal was due to expire, potentially giving the Gunners an opportunity.

They had been looking for a new left-back after allowing Sead Kolasinac to leave in January. A recent injury to Kieran Tierney has highlighted their need to strengthen the role and Mitchell was an option.

But he has now committed to Palace.

Mitchell told Palace TV: “I’m delighted. It’s a great place to be and an exciting time so I’m delighted to sign a contract.

“I can see, especially with the academy building now and academy players coming through, it’s a great time. The youth that we’ve got now is good to see.”

Asked what his favourite thing about the club so far is, he replied: “The togetherness, it’s like a big family. That’s the main thing.”

The full-back also said his confidence was on the up after keeping more experienced players out of the team.

“It’s a massive confidence to start in a Premier League game. That’s a dream come true.”

And on the areas in which he has improved, Mitchell responded: “I think my physical side, playing with bigger players, smarter players. My physical side and my decision making.”

Palace chairman Steve Parish added: “This shows once again how our academy can attract the very best young talent and develop them into first-team players.

“Tyrick’s progress is an immense source of pride for our club and academy.”

Doubts about Zaha future

While Palace have retained the services of Mitchell for the long-term, doubts remain about teammate Wilfried Zaha.

It has been a somewhat frustrating campaign for the Ivory Coast international but he could still be eyeing a move to a bigger club. And manager Roy Hodgson was coy on his future earlier this month.

“He’s missed more games through injury than in previous years which is a blow for us, but we’re hoping to keep him fit for the next nine,” he said.

“He seems to be pretty much clear at the moment as to what he wants to do and where he wants to be. We’re hoping to benefit from that in the next nine games.

“At the end of the season, we’ll see what happens then.”

READ MORE: Hodgson vents frustration after letting Chelsea ‘opportunity’ slip

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