September 10 2003

Ade Akinbiyi

Ade Akinbiyi will not leave Crystal Palace unless chairman Simon Jordan agrees to pay-off his contract, writes Joseph O'Shea

Ade Akinbiyi will not leave Crystal Palace unless chairman Simon Jordan agrees to pay-off his contract.

Stoke City, Walsall and Gillingham are all waiting in the wings to snap up the 28-year-old on a free transfer, but Akinbiyi is unwilling to take a pay cut to join another club, without some form of compensation for terminating his lucrative Palace deal.

Akinbiyi told the Guardian: "I am going nowhere until Crystal Palace tell me I can do so."

Jordan signed Akinbiyi from Leicester City for £2.3million in February 2002, but after scoring just three goals in an injury hit 18 month spell at Selhurst Park the Nigerian striker has been frozen out of the first team picture by new boss Steve Kember.

Jordan has held several meetings with Akinbiyi to try and negotiate a settlement, but the situation has reached stalemate. Akinbiyi is unwilling to take a wage cut without compensation, while Jordan is reluctant to compound his £2.3million losses on the striker.

Akinbiyi's agent Andrew Mills said: "There are several clubs interested in signing Ade, but there are matters that need to be resolved at Crystal Palace's end."

Palace manager Steve Kember has been told he cannot sign any new players until he off-loads Akinbiyi, transfer-listed full back Danny Granville or Palace receive compensation for out-of-contract winger Julian Gray.

He said: "It is nearly there (with Ade) but not quite.

"We still need to strengthen on the left side. We have got an idea who we want but we need to get players out first."

Julian Gray's situation looks closer to successful conclusion with the news that he has been training with Blackburn this week.

Gray has previously trained with Leeds and Charlton who tabled a "derisory" £150,000 bid, but if he impresses Blackburn boss Graeme Souness, the Lancashire club may be willing to meet Palace's £500,000 valuation or take the matter to tribunal.

Blackburn have cash to splash after netting £17million from Chelsea for Damian Duff and £5.5million from Birmingham for David Dunne.