Dowie won't sell Routledge for £1.5m

Iain Dowie today told Tottenham that £1.5million is not enough to buy Wayne Routledge.

The England Under-21 midfielder, who has refused an improved contract at Crystal Palace, is valued by manager Dowie at closer to £4m.

Birmingham and Fulham are thought to have enquired about the player but Spurs are leading the chase and are understood to have held a second round of talks with the Selhurst Park club last night.

The stumbling block could be the fee with Spurs hoping to get Routledge for £1.5m.

Dowie said: "It is not a goer. The deal has got to be right for Crystal Palace and the team.

"Nothing is concrete yet. Spurs have declared an interest and there have been some preliminary discussions. There are one or two other clubs who have also been asked to be kept informed."

Tottenham players Rohan Ricketts, Johnnie Jackson and Michael Brown have reportedly been discussed as possible makeweights in the deal and an agreement could be reached before Palace play Spurs at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

The key to the fee will be how much Palace think they would get at a tribunal in the summer if they kept him until his contract expired and got compensation for developing him through their academy.

Dowie said: "We have a view in terms of what the tribunal will bring. It is not an easy decision to make but it will be my decision along with discussions with the chairman."