Peter Crouch signs new Stoke City contract

Stoke City forward Peter Crouch has signed a new one-year contract with the club to remain at the bet365 Stadium until 2018.

Crouch, 35, joined Stoke in 2011 for a then club-record fee of £10m and was due to be out of contract at the end of the season. 

Crouch has made 186 appearances for the Potters and netted 49 goals in all competitions, including five this season in league and cup. 

"Peter still has a great deal to offer us as a player and we are pleased he has decided to extend his stay with us," said Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes. 

"I'm really pleased to be staying at the club; I've been here for a number of years now and I love it," said Crouch. 

"I come in every day with a smile on my face and long may that continue. Obviously I didn't want to go anywhere, I just wanted to play.

"I was a little bit frustrated at not playing as many games as I'd like. That's changed recently - I've played a few and really enjoyed it.

"I know that I can play and impact games at this level for a number of years yet so hopefully I can continue to do that.

"The manager has said right from the start that I'd have an important role to play; that's been the case recently and hopefully it will be towards the end of the season.

"I work hard every day and I knew that when that chance came along I had to grab it. Hopefully I've done myself a bit of justice recently and I'd like to stay in.

"The fact that the contract is out of my mind now is a great relief for me and now I can just concentrate on pushing us up the league."

Crouch currently sits on 98 Premier League goals, following a career which has seen him line out for Aston Villa, Southampton, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Tottenham and Stoke in England's top flight, 

Crouch also earned 42 England caps between 2005 and 2010.