Pardew puts top-flight status ahead of new Palace deal
(Reuters) - Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has confirmed he will extend his contract with the club only after they have secured Premier League status for next season.
Palace's woeful run of nine league games without a win, including six losses, has seen them slide down the table from fifth to 13th place, just eight points above the relegation zone with 12 games remaining.
"They've progressed to a level where we are probably agreed. I am just waiting to see whether we are still a Premier League club," Pardew told reporters on Friday.
"When I get this team over the line I'll sit down and finalise it."
Palace have not won a league game since winger Yannick Bolasie, scorer of four goals in 16 appearances, injured his hip against Stoke City on Dec. 19.
However, the 26-year-old is likely to make his first start in more than two months in Saturday's league trip to 14th-placed West Bromwich Albion.
"I think he's ready to start (Bolasie). He's very important to us. We've got 12 games left and he'll be significant in all of those," Pardew said.
Pardew also tipped winger Wilfried Zaha and defender Scott Dann to earn call-ups to the England squad ahead of the Euro 2016 tournament in France.
"We have Wilf Zaha and Scott Dann here, who both have a chance for England in my opinion, and both could play no problem," the former Newcastle United manager said.
(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)