Crystal Palace have seen a second bid rejected by Ipswich Town for midfielder Flynn Downes, according to Stuart Watson of the East Anglian Daily Times.
Crystal Palace See Bid Rejected for Flynn Downes
Increased Bid
The Premier League side have held a long-term interest in Downes. They reportedly saw a bid of £1 million rejected by the Tractor Boys earlier this summer.
However, the clubs remain apart in their valuations of the 21-year-old. Ipswich are holding out for a bid between £4 – £8 million, however, Palace have only increased their offer to £2 million.
The England U20 international, however, remained coy when asked about whether he will remain an Ipswich player earlier this week.
He said: “Yeah, hopefully. We’ll see. You can never say for sure, but hopefully I will be. I’ve heard little bits and bobs, but I’m just focusing on the football. That’s all I can say really. Everything will be taken care of.”
Aiming to Add Depth to the Squad
While Downes is highly-rated by Ipswich, it is likely that he would not enter the starting 11 at Selhurst Park straight away.
Palace have just completed the signing of Eberechi Eze for a figure that could rise to £19.5 million. The 22-year-old was one of the standout players in the Championship last season, and is likely to warrant a starting place under Roy Hodgson.
As a result, the Palace boss will not want to surrender another starting position to a midfielder who is still relatively inexperienced. Instead, Downes is likely to occupy a supporting role, featuring predominantly from the bench, adding to the squad depth that Palace desperately lacked at times last season.
Alternatively, as he may not be ready to make the jump up to the top-flight, the 21-year-old could be loaned out to a Championship club at first, in order for him to gain more first-team experience.
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