'Kamada had the choice to leave' - Sage thrilled will midfielder's stay

[Getty Images] Crystal Palace manager, Pierre Sage, spoke to Palace TV about the culture around the team and Daichi Kamada's new deal. Sage has expressed his desire to finish higher in the Premier League next season. Palace's 15th-place finish last term was their worst since 2015-16, though focus turned to success in Europe late in the campaign. He hopes fostering a positive culture in South London will help and explained: "The team building is the most important thing because we spend a lot of time together. We have a big objective to attempt. "That's why we need to do it together. The togetherness is the most important thing. We do it in a natural way during this period, but during the season we will have some times together to be strong." So far this summer, Sage has seen key defender Maxence Lacroix leave the club for Chelsea and it appears the Eagles will sign free agent Takehiro Tomiyasu, 27, to offer some defensive cover. The boost Kamada's deal offered therefore was key and Sage said: "I'm really happy he has stayed with us because he had the choice to leave. The pull of the club is really important for him and the Premier League is important to him. "During his first season he showed what he was able to do. I knew that, but now he will have to show that in the games. He will play the first minutes with the team this evening, so that's really important for us." Palace play Fulham in a friendly on Friday - 18:00 BST.