Crystal Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma says his years playing in the Premier League have made him “more mature” and “more intelligent” and thus a better player overall.
The midfielder has been speaking to the Colombian edition of AS at a pre-match press conference ahead of Colombia’s clash with Chile.
Lerma is a permanent fixture for his national team these days, having racked up 36 appearances for them since making his debut in November 2017.
The same can be said at club level, where he has established himself as a key player for Crystal Palace since joining them on a free transfer from Bournemouth in the summer transfer window.
He’d held a similar status with the Cherries, where he had impressed in midfield since joining in a €30.5m deal from Levante in 2018.
This season with Crystal Palace will be his fifth in the Premier League, while he’s also been a part of two Championship campaigns with Bournemouth when they were relegated in 2019/20.
It means at 28 he is now a player with a wealth of experience under his belt and he feels that has made him much better than he once was.
“As the years go by you become more mature, more intelligent,” he said.
“You run less or more positioned and that is what I have gained over the course of these years.
“The work of my teammates must be highlighted because without them it would not be easy to get comfortable on the playing field. Each person plays an important part and that is appreciated.”
