Dowie's hopes dashed as Routledge prepares to go

Wayne Routledge has rejected a new five-year deal with Crystal Palace. The England Under-21 international is out of contract in the summer and now looks set to leave the club.

Iain Dowie had hoped his close working relationship with Routledge would convince the winger to stay and said Palace had made a "sizeable" offer, thought to be worth £12,000-aweek.

But now the manager must decide whether to sell in the transfer window or keep the 20-year-old for the fight against relegation and risk losing money.

Palace will recoup some of the costs of developing Routledge through their trainee scheme whatever happens as they would be due compensation if he left.

But it is unlikely to reach the £3million package they rejected from Tottenham last August and Dowie is now faced with the prospect of fending off interest in Routledge. Spurs are thought to have turned their attention elsewhere but Martin Jol may be encouraged by Routledge's belief that he can best fulfil his ambitions away from Selhurst Park.

Meanwhile, Leeds United's prospective new owner Sebastien Sainsbury is still intent on luring Dowie should his consortium take control at Elland Road.

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