TWTD understands Crystal Palace’s second rebuffed offer for Blues midfielder Flynn Downes was just £1.6 million.
The bid was turned down at the end of last week, after an earlier offer of ÂŁ1.2 million had been rejected.
Earlier today Blues general manager of football operations Lee O’Neill said the Eagles’ offers for Downes were "nowhere near the club’s valuation” of the academy product and that the bids were turned down straight away by owner Marcus Evans.
Despite Downes having subsequently made a transfer request, it appears his departure for Selhurst Park is far from a fait accompli with Evans not looking to sell despite the financial impact of the coronavirus crisis and Palace currently some distance away from a figure which would tempt him into changing his mind.
The Blues were previously reported to be holding out for ÂŁ4 million for Downes and an initial fee at around that level or towards ÂŁ5 million plus substantial top-up clauses, such as appearance milestones, would almost certainly receive more serious consideration. Claims that the Blues are after ÂŁ8 million would appear unlikely in the current market.
Downes, who we understand has recently taken on a new agent, is contracted to Town until the summer of 2022 with the club having an option for a further season.
TWTD revealed that Palace were keen on the 21-year-old in early July with sporting director Dougie Freedman having been at the Blues' game at Blackpool at the end of February as the Eagles continued an ongoing watching brief having first made contact with Town in January.
West Ham, who Downes supports and who he faced in a friendly at Portman Road last Tuesday, also made their interest known to the Blues in January, while Fulham are among the other clubs to have been keeping tabs on the Brentwood-born schemer. Reports of interest from Arsenal are understood to be wide of the mark.