Pardew perplexed by agent agitation

Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has hit out at the behaviour of football agents as he desperately tries to hang onto winger Yannick Bolasie.

The 27-year-old is on the verge of joining Everton for a monster £28million fee, but Pardew hasn’t given up hope of hanging onto the Congolese international.

However, if he does lose Bolasie, Pardew knows exactly where he will place the blame –and it’s not his player.

(Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)

“This window has been particularly tricky because of the new TV deal,” he said. “The agents have been terrible in the background. [They have been] getting involved with players that are not even their own, and trying to take players off other agents. It’s all been a bit messy.

“This guy (Bolasie) is a great player and a great person – I love him,” he said.

“He’s a player that I don’t want to lose, but if I lose him than I’m going to have to replace him like with like.”

Palace kick off their Premier League campaign against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, having so far brought in Andros Townsend, James Tomkins and France international keeper Steve Mandanda.

And while he is frustrated at beginning the new season without finishing his transfer business, Pardew believes the team are on the right track.

“All of us are trying to find… harmony within the group of players that we have, and all of these players here have done brilliantly for me,” he added.

“So we’re trying to take the club forward in a manner where we don’t lose the spirit and the soul of what is a big part of this football club.

“The window shutting after [the start of the season] isn’t ideal. But of course it has to fit into Europe.”