Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has hit out over John Bostock's expected move to Tottenham.
Palace chairman hits out at youngster's father
Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has hit out at John Bostock's father over the teenage midfielder's expected move to Tottenham.
Spurs announced earlier on Friday that they had reached an agreement to bring the 16-year-old to White Hart Lane.
Palace responded with a statement that no deal had been reached between the two clubs, and Jordan insists that until that is resolved Bostock remains an Eagles player.
But the Selhurst Park supremo has been particularly irked by the actions of the youngster's father, who Jordan claims had personally assured him that Bostock would sign a deal with Palace.
Due to his age, Bostock can only sign on a scholarship basis before moving onto a professional contract on his 17th birthday. Palace offered him such a deal, but it now appears that he has elected to join Spurs.
Complete lie
And Jordan told
Sky Sports News: "His father, for the last six months, has been telling me personally that he wants to sign for Crystal Palace and is a Crystal Palace fan.
"John Bostock's father has told me on three occasions that John will be signing for Palace. Next thing I know he's going to Tottenham.
"We have been told by John Bostock's father that some mythical member of staff at our place has told John that Neil Warnock doesn't want him playing in his team because he doesn't fit our style.
"That is a complete lie.
"Neil Warnock has a track record of playing 16 and 17-year-old kids. He didn't sign a young Australian international specifically because John Bostock told us he was signing a contract with us.
"We didn't sign a player to put him in front of John Bostock to hamper his development.
"John Bostock would have got in our first team and would have learned his trade in our first team. I'm not so sure he'll get the opportunities at Tottenham in the immediate future that his talent may well need to be nurtured."
Jordan knows that as Bostock's current deal is due to expire he is free to discuss a move to other clubs, but as he has come through the Palace youth ranks then the Eagles are entitled to compensation.
Agreement
He added: "Tottenham do not have an agreement with Crystal Palace, and they can't as yet have an agreement with John Bostock, because John remains a Crystal Palace player until the expiration of his contract, albeit a matter of days.
"And they can't reach an agreement with him, period, because until an agreement is reached with Crystal Palace, be it a financial agreement dictated by the two clubs or by a tribunal, he remains a registered proposition at Crystal Palace.
"They may well have discussed with John Bostock and they may well have put an offer to him that he would like to accept. But he can't accept it until the matter is resolved in the situation between John and Crystal Palace and our compensatory rights.
"They don't have to come to an agreement with us. The reality of it is that we have developed the player, we have provided him with his education and training for six years and we have compensatory rights.
"If an agreement cannot be reached between the two football clubs then it will go to a tribunal who will determine the financial recompense that Palace can expect to receive.
"Like everything in this miserable game, it comes down to pounds, shillings and pence. Surely it should be down to what is best for a 16-year-old boy and where he is most likely to play."
