June 2 2009

Neil Warnock

Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock has made his first summer signing with the capture of Darren Ambrose from Charlton.

The former Newcastle and Ipswich midfielder, 25, is a free agent and will officially join the Eagles when the transfer window re-opens on July 1.

Ambrose made 25 appearances for the Addicks last season and had a two-month loan stint at his old club Ipswich at the end of 2008.

"I am ever so pleased," said Warnock. "He is one I have been after for a while and I bid £1million for him when I was at Sheffield United but he went to Newcastle instead.

"I am delighted really, he is a young lad with so much to prove. He just needs to enjoy himself a bit and play with a smile on his face.

"He never once worried about his contract and always talked about his football and where it should be going.

"He's still young and it will be great for him to come to us and play with the freedom I'll give him. He's decent with dead ball situations and tha'’s something we’ve missed since Ben Watson left. He'll give us a bit of quality with the ball.

"He's got a great brain and he can play right across the midfield and as a striker, so he fulfils five positions.

"I'm expecting a lot from him and I've told him he will love playing for me - he has been in a struggling team for the last couple of years and I want to put a smile back on his face and he needs to play with a bit of fun."

Charlton paid Newcastle £1million for Ambrose almost four years ago and he went on to play 128 times and scored 17 goals for the Addicks.