Connor Wickham to Crystal Palace: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More

Crystal Palace have completed the signing of Connor Wickham on a five-year deal from Sunderland for an undisclosed fee.

The Eagles’ official Twitter feed confirmed the deal, which was accompanied by a picture of the striker posing with the famous red-and-blue jersey:

In a piece on the club’s official website, Wickham claimed he was delighted to be joining a team that’s on the up:

"

I spoke to the gaffer last week and he said all the right things about the club and I’ve got friends here who also told me some very good things.

I looked at the team before I arrived here and the signings that have been brought in, and the potential to score goals and the chances that could be created was a massive influence. Hopefully I can add to that talent and make the squad stronger.
 
I think I needed the fresh start, I had four years up north and it’s been a bit stop-start. Now I’ve come back home and I can settle down and see my family a bit more and hopefully let my football do the talking.

"

Dave Thompson/Getty Images

Aside from a flurry of goals at the back end of the 2013-14 season, Wickham hasn’t scaled the heights many expected of him when he burst onto the scene as a youngster.

He cut a frustrated figure up at the Stadium of Light, and although there were occasional glimpses of promise, no Sunderland manager was able to get the very best out of the player for a sustained spell. As noted by Squawka, his Premier League goalscoring record makes for pretty sorry reading:

Palace boss Alan Pardew clearly thinks he’s capable of rekindling a spark within him, and with exciting attacking players in support at the sharp end of the pitch for the Eagles, Wickham will certainly get the requisite service to score plenty of goals.

It’s easy to forget Wickham is still only 22 years old. Sunderland will have been a harsh learning experience for the striker, which should help him at Palace. But at Selhurst Park, with players such as Jason Puncheon, Yannick Bolasie and Yohan Cabaye supplying him, there will be no excuses if the former Ipswich Town man does not thrive.