The Athletic’s Crystal Palace reporter Matt Woosnam believes it’s a great decision that Joel Ward has signed a new contract with the club.

Ward has signed a two-year contract extension which will take him up to the summer of 2023 at Selhurst Park and told Palace TV“I’m delighted. I think it’s great to have committed the future to the club.”

Palace are under new leadership with Patrick Vieira appointed as the club’s new manager this summer, and he has looked to assemble his side already. This is because along with the new contract for Ward, Palace have made four summer signings with Michael Olise, Jacob Montes, Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen all joining Crystal Palace.

On the new contract for Ward, Woosnam told Football FanCast: “Joel Ward has obviously signed and that’s been announced by Palace and I think that’s a great decision in the end.”

Ward has been a terrific servant for Crystal Palace as he has been with the club nine years and played 273 times for the club, scoring five goals and creating eleven more.

Whilst operating as a right-back mostly, Ward has also played on the side of defence at left-back, as well as appearing as a centre-back on a couple of occasions in the past.

Under new management and with new faces arriving at the football club, Crystal Palace will be hoping that they can improve on last season’s 14th place this upcoming campaign.