Palace used funds from Aaron Wan-Bissaka sale 'to pay down debts', says Palace chairman
Thursday 20 February 2020 21:35, UK
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish says he is confident of keeping manager Roy Hodgson at the club after offering him a new contract.
Former England boss Hodgson has one year remaining on his deal at Selhurst Park but says he has held "positive talks" with Parish and is feeling calm about his future.
Asked about negotiations with Hodgson, Parish told Palace TV: "We've presented a contract to Roy, we are talking to him about that but I think everyone is pretty focused on the games.
"Roy said himself in the press the other day that he is very relaxed about the whole thing. We are very relaxed about it, I think we will get that done in the fullness of time."
Palace's board have faced criticism from fans after only managing to sign Cenk Tosun on loan from Everton in January - despite the £50m sale of right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United in the summer.
Parish argues the club tried to do business in January, coming close to signing West Brom full-back Nathan Ferguson and Genoa striker Christian Kouame last month, only for both deals to be scuppered by injury.
The Palace chairman also revealed the money raised from Wan-Bissaka's sale was used to "pay down some debts", insisting "there was money available in January for the right solutions and the right players".
Parish is optimistic about finally getting Ferguson, whose Deadline Day move to Palace failed in January after a knee issue was picked up during his medical, once his West Brom contract expires at the end of the season.
"We are still keen on that deal and we are confident that we can make that happen, we think an awful lot of the player," he added.
"We identified Nathan as the player we wanted, it took a long time to negotiate that deal through January. We had gone in for him in the summer as well. We thought he was the right answer for us.
"Yes we have other options but we don't just want to go to the second or third option while the first option is still alive. We want to get the right players in for the future of the football club."
Parish, speaking about the failed move for Kouame, added: "We had a £10m bid accepted on Kouame, unfortunately he had a cruciate injury a week after.
"It was outside the window that we'd agreed the deal so they were still playing him."
