Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada is close to signing a new contract with the club.Kamada’s existing deal is due to expire at the end of June but he is expected to remain with Palace, with final discussions being held over the length of the deal.The 29-year-old has spent the past two years at Palace, joining on a free transfer after his contract with Lazio expired, becoming the club’s first Japanese player. Oliver Glasner, under whom he worked at Eintracht Frankfurt, was influential in bringing him to south London in the summer of 2024, shortly after being appointed Palace manager.In a press conference before Palace’s Conference League quarter-final second leg against Fiorentina, Kamada, who turns 30 in August, said he was undecided on whether he would stay at the club.“I really don’t know about my future and I haven’t decided anything yet,” he said. “I really want to know about my future, but I am just focused on every single Palace game. So, I don’t know.With Glasner leaving at the end of his own contract this month, there was some doubt over whether Kamada would also stay, but he now looks set to extend his spell in south London.Kamada has made 89 appearances in all competitions across two seasons, scoring three goals and registering eight assists as he became a crucial part of Palace’s squad despite a slow start.The Japan international is currently playing in the World Cup with his country, scoring with a late equaliser during a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening group game, and an early goal against Tunisia in a 4-0 victory.Retaining Kamada would be a major boost for PalaceThis would be excellent news for Palace as Kamada is an integral part of their squad and a key player in midfield.They have a largely settled squad and keeping as many of their players together as possible will help significantly under new manager Pierre Sage.Kamada’s experience of winning the Europa League with Eintracht in 2022 will also be helpful in Palace’s own European campaign for the upcoming season, just as it was in winning the Conference League last season.He was greatly missed when absent with a hamstring problem over the winter and quickly returned to being an important player upon his return, finding his rhythm.Glasner described him as “a player for big games” in his press conference after Palace’s Conference League semi-final first leg win over Shakhtar Donetsk in April, a match in which Kamada scored to give his side a second-half lead.It took him time to settle at the club, initially playing as a No 10 before dropping deeper into a No 6 role, typically alongside Adam Wharton, where he looked more accustomed, just as had been his more frequent position at Eintracht under Glasner.As he became more familiar with the club and the Premier League, Kamada’s performances improved, including outstanding showings in Palace’s 1-0 win over Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup final and the Conference League final win over Rayo Vallecano last month by the same scoreline.Retaining Kamada would be a major boost going into the new season.Jun 25, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms