June 12 2003

Hayden Mullins

Crystal Palace have rubbished newspaper claims that a fee of £700,000 has been agreed with Premiership Portsmouth for the sale of Hayden Mullins.

One Sunday paper claimed Pompey boss Harry Redknapp was close to securing the versatile 24-year-old’s services after chairman Simon Jordan accepted a £700,000 bid.

But Palace boss Steve Kember confirmed on Tuesday that no bids had been received so far this summer.

He said: “There has been no official approach for Hayden Mullins at this present time.” Former Palace trainee Mullins only has one year left on his current deal and is desperate to try his luck in the Premiership.

Mullins’ agent Andrew Mills has written to Simon Jordan saying the club must sell Mullins or lose him for nothing when his current contract expires in a year’s time.

Jordan said recently: “We’ve offered to improve his contract but he isn’t looking to stay and he has a right to develop his career.”

Jordan rejected a January bid of £600,000 by Birmingham City as “derisory” and is thought to be holding out for at least £1.2million for his prize asset, with Birmingham, Aston Villa and Leicester in the hunt.