EPL side Crystal Palace Manager Alan Pardew "expects to sign a new long-term contract" with the club before leading his team out at Wembley in Saturday’s FA Cup final as the club "seeks to secure the first major silverware of its 111-year history" at ManU’s expense.
Terms "were agreed in principle with Pardew in February over extending his stay at Selhurst Park beyond the expiry of his current deal, which runs through to the summer of 2018." However, the 54-year-old "was reluctant to formalise the arrangement while Palace’s Premier League status was still in doubt, with the team having endured a marked slump in form since the turn of the year." The deal -- most likely through to '21 -- "would also see a raise in salary," believed to be around £1.5M ($2.2M) a year at present (London GUARDIAN, 5/19).
FOOTBALL BRIEFS ...
League Championship side Newcastle United Manager Rafael Benitez's decision whether to stay on as manager "will depend on the amount of funds he is given to strengthen the squad." Benitez took over in March but "could not stop the club being relegated, despite the Magpies winning three of their last six league matches."
He could "activate a clause in his deal which allows him to leave."
However, he has "held talks with the Magpies hierarchy, with talks described as positive" (BBC, 5/19).
EPL club Middlesbrough "unveiled the new prices to watch the team" in action as a season-ticket supporter. Season-ticket sales "reopened at noon with the club expecting significant demand despite marked price rises from the last campaign and the price that had been available to Early Bird purchasers last month." North and South Stand adult season tickets will cost £570 ($833). That figure works out at £30 ($44) a game. The East Stand Upper is priced at £608 ($888) with an East and West lower seat available at £570 each (GAZETTE LIVE, 5/19).
Arsenal is looking for an agency "to help it develop its brand and capitalise on its online following." The club "has approached agencies with a brief." It is looking "to grow the Arsenal brand, and develop and create online content, including for social media" (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 5/19).
Former Argentine football Zanetti, who recently retired from Inter Milan, was joined by Chinese real estate developer Linda Wong to launch the the Inter Academy Yihai, a football-training program for boys and girls in China. Zanetti currently serves as the VP of Inter Milan Club and was instrumental in forming the Inter Milan Academy (Inter Milan).
