Dowie upbeat on Routledge future

Palace face the dilemma of cashing in on the 20-year-old or risk losing him in the summer for a nominal fee.

Jordan said: "We were told by his agent that Wayne would not sign, no matter what we put in front of him.

"How does an agent, whose primary motive is his own gain, succeed in dividing a player and a club?"

Routledge, whose deal expires at the end of the season, has spurned Palace's offer of a new one believed to be worth around �12,000-per-week.

Jordan added: "This club has had the boy for eight years and looked after him and his family.

"We've given Wayne his opportunity, and given him every support and encouragement."

We offered him what was, probably, one of the most lucrative contracts a teenage player can be offered Palace chairman Simon Jordan

Eagles boss Iain Dowie said: "Wayne has intimated to me there won't be a positive response to the new deal."

Dowie, who has himself been linked again with Leeds United, is facing an increasingly unlikely battle in trying to persuade the England Under-21 international to stay at Selhurst Park.

The Palace boss said: "While he is here, I will spend every day trying to get him to change his mind."

If Routledge leaves during the summer, Palace will recoup some costs of developing him through their youth system.

But it will not be near the �3m package Palace are thought to have rejected from Tottenham in the summer for the talented Routledge.

Palace chairman Jordan added: "It's a very annoying thing and of course we will obtain compensation at the end of Wayne's current contract if he chooses not to re-sign.

"We wanted to offer Wayne a new contract because we see him as still learning his trade and playing in a team where he can grow and become a player, ratherthan a potential player, with a manager that can help him with that.

"We offered him what was, probably, one of the most lucrative contracts that a teenage player can be offered.

It's obvious he doesn't want to play for this club From Junior Have your say on 606

"I spoke to him directly because he's our player and if he wants to pass it on to his agent then that's his prerogative.

"I think the player has to take some responsibility in the whole equation because he is not a silly boy - most of these boys know their own minds."

Meanwhile, Leeds' prospective new owner Sebastien Sainsbury is hoping to lure Dowie to Elland Road to restore the West Yorkshire club's fortunes if his consortium takes control.

Sainsbury said: "There's only one man for the job as I see it, and that man is Iain Dowie."