February 1 2014

Tom Ince

Crystal Palace have captured Tom Ince on loan from Blackpool for the rest of the campaign.

The Eagles are believed to have paid a fee of around £1million to the Championship club and would like to make the deal full time after the season finishes.

Palace midfielder Stephen Dobbie has re-joined Blackpool again as part of the package.

Ince fended off interest from other Premier League sides such as Stoke, who came in with an offer at the last minute, to play at Selhurst Park.

The 22-year-old dazzled for the Tangerines last season where he scored 18 goals and beat Wilfried Zaha to the Championship's Young Player of the Year award.

An England U21 international, Ince came up through Liverpool's Academy without playing a game before making a name for himself at Blackpool who he joined in August 2011.

Talking to BBC Radio 5 Live Ince said: "It's never nice to leave a club like Blackpool, who have done ever so well for me.

"I had three fantastic years there, but when an opportunity like this comes around... as soon as I met Tony Pulis and Steve Parish at Palace it felt like the right thing for me. I'm very happy.

"I spoke to Tony and it's amazing how well Tony has done there since he came in, and he said to me I was someone he needs, someone who can run at people and create some magic in the final third.

"Steve has worked hard behind the scenes to get me to Palace and I'm grateful for that.

"I had a gut feeling - Palace was for me and I'm going to be happy to play in a Palace shirt."

Tom's father Paul (until recently the Blackpool boss) also told 5 Live: "I feel like [Crystal Palace chairman] Steve Parish is my wife, the amount of time I've spent with him today but we got there in the end.

"Other clubs wanted a permanent deal but we felt that wasn't right - we wanted to take a loan deal and see what the options are at the end of the season.

"Steve Parish has been fantastic and I'd like to thank Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston because he's played a massive part in getting this over the line.

"The only ones who could take Thomas were Palace and Swansea.

"I had a good conversation with [Swansea chairman] Huw Jenkins but we felt that Tony Pulis sold the club to Thomas and that he'd be part of the club and play games. He'll have that opportunity to show what he can do under Tony Pulis."