‘They might come back’: Coach discusses Crystal Palace interest in star man

Follow us on Google Discover

Ipswich Town coach Stuart Taylor has suggested Crystal Palace may make a new approach for midfielder Flynn Downes, speaking to the East Anglian Daily Times, although the Premier League outfit have yet to make a second bid.

In the spring, when the Eagles were formulating plans for the summer transfer window, they revolved around injecting some youthful exuberance into an ageing squad by signing some of the Football League’s brightest talent.

With Eberechi Eze and Nathan Ferguson expected to be joined at Selhurst Park by Brentford talisman Said Benrahma, its fair to say Palace can afford to give themselves an almighty pat on the back.

And there’s still time for Downes to arrive too.

The Standard recently reported Crystal Palace had made a £2 million offer for the 21-year-old playmaker, who had handed in a transfer request in a bid to force a move away from Portman Road.

Ipswich rejected that offer and it remains to be seen whether Palace try again before the October deadline. Paul Lambert’s side is demanding closer to £4 million for a technically gifted midfielder brilliantly nicknamed ‘Flynedine Zidownes’.

“I’m not aware of anything,” Taylor said when asked about a second bid. “They might come back in and triple or quadruple their money, whatever it is, I don’t know, or they might not.

“I think there was a lot going on his head. I think there might have been pressure from different avenues, not from us, but I’m quite sure Flynn at some point will inform everybody of what’s going on.

“Listen, it was good to see him back in and training again with a lot fresher mindset and that comes off the back having that experience to give him three days off. We’ll just see what today brings when he comes in.”

Dan O’Neill, Ipswich’s head of football operations, recently told EADT a £2 million offer was “nowhere near” their valuation of Downes.