Peter Crouch puts move on hold after return to Stoke side
Wednesday 4 January 2017 23:03, UK
Peter Crouch has abandoned plans to leave Stoke this month after returning to the side in goalscoring form.
Crouch is in the final few months of his contract and was contemplating ending a five-and-a-half-year association with City after spending most of the season on the bench.
But the 35-year-old started three games in the space of eight days over the festive period and scored two goals - his first in the Premier League since May 2015.
"Of course I've been looking at [a move]," he said. "I know that I can still play at this level so if it's not here it will be with someone else. But it's gone well the last few games and hopefully I'll be here for a bit longer.
"I haven't played much in the last 18 months, it's been very frustrating. I've always believed in myself, always known I can impact games at this level. Thankfully the manager's thrown me in for the last three games.
"I think now hopefully I've proved to him that certainly I can do the 90 minutes, it's not a problem. I train every day, I don't do anything that the rest of the lads don't do so hopefully I've impacted the games and I can have a good run."
Crouch scored his side's second in a 2-0 win over Watford on Tuesday, and Mark Hughes afterwards hinted at a new deal for the former England striker.
"I'd love to stay," Crouch said. "But it's one of those things that's out of my hands, isn't it? I'd like to stay but it doesn't seem to be happening at the minute. I'll keep playing and see what happens."
