Town reportedly want more than £4 million for keeper Bartosz Bialkowski with Crystal Palace continuing to be linked with the 30-year-old Pole.

According to the Daily Mirror, Bialkowski is top of the Eagles’ wish-list and they have already made enquiries to Town, who want "in excess of £4 million" for their Player of the Year for the last two seasons.

When there was interest in Bialkowski from Wolves early on last summer, the Blues were understood to have put a £5 million price tag on Bialkowski’s head.

Palace were first mentioned in connection with the Town keeper just over a week ago when they were said to be keeping a watching brief on the former Southampton and Notts County man. However, we understand they weren’t represented at either of Town’s home games over Christmas.

The Eagles, who are known to be targeting another keeper in January, have also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain’s Kevin Trapp, Manchester United’s Sam Johnstone, who is on loan at Aston Villa but now strongly tipped to join West Brom, and QPR’s Alex Smithies in recent weeks.

Asked about the Palace-Bialkowski link last week, manager Mick McCarthy said: “I know [there was a story linking Palace with Bialkowski], but everybody knows Crystal Palace are looking for a goalkeeper.

“And I think they’ve looked in the Championship. I saw Alex Smithies got a mention at QPR, and there are loads of them being mentioned.

“I don’t know, they’ll be doing their due diligence on all the goalkeepers. All everybody knows is that Bart is a really top Championship keeper.

“But they might be looking for somebody who has got Premier League experience. I don’t know. I’m not picking and choosing their team.”

Bialkowski is out of contract at the end of the season but with the Blues having an option for a further year which there is little doubt they will take up before the end of the season.

Photo: TWTD

BlueySwede added 14:58 - Jan 2 8 million would be a fair price, if we do decide to sell. Bialkowski is an incredible player and the club have to value him accordingly.
10

midastouch added 15:09 - Jan 2 Don't you just hate the Jan transfer window!
2

Jimmy86 added 15:12 - Jan 2 You would think that the club would trigger the extra year straight away. 1. Means if Palace make a bid they will
4

Jimmy86 added 15:16 - Jan 2 You would think that the club would trigger the extra year straight away. 1. Means if Palace make a bid they will have to pay more than 4 million, when Wolves were quoted 5. 2. Means we keep Bart at the club, which is win, win as he is happy and wants to stay. If we're going to sell it has to be mega bucks, as we'd need to buy a new keeper, as flapper is injured and not up to it anyway

2

tractorboybig added 15:16 - Jan 2 TRACTORBOYJIM our prospects of promotion this season with him are zero
0

Lukeybluey added 15:23 - Jan 2 still £6 million too short.
3

Ferguson added 15:29 - Jan 2 Worst of this is that,yet again, there will be no like for like replacement.
9

Vizslaraner added 15:45 - Jan 2 The other issue here is that goalkeepers come into their prime at The age Bart is and their value holds for far longer. Therefore, trigger the option and make anyone pay what he is truly worth. Look at what some In The prem cost and they aren't anything special
5

Lightningboy added 15:46 - Jan 2 £4m for arguably the best keeper outside the prem & our player of the year 2 seasons running??? Now that is taking the pi55. Got to be worth twice that in today's ridiculous market.
6

Dissboyitfc added 15:48 - Jan 2 if Bart does leave, you can guarantee that a no2 to gerks is already sorted!
3

Jimmy86 added 15:54 - Jan 2 The club would have to replace Bart as Gerken is injured and simply not up to it. Also that may well be the tipping point for a lot of fans, based on the fact he's our best keeper and player of the season 2 years running. If Evans sold and then used the money to cover losses it would kick off big time.
8

benno1uk added 15:56 - Jan 2 If Bart goes, I sincerely hope Gerkin still remains no.2...
4

blackcat added 16:00 - Jan 2 Good keepers are extremely hard to find, why sell for anything less than double digit millions.. Also face facts it's all over for us if he goes!!
3

BobbyBell added 16:10 - Jan 2 If a striker scored as many goals a season as Bart saves he'd be worth three times as much. AND I'm only talking about those outstanding saves not the run of the mill ones. If Bart goes I can seriously see league one looming large as our goals against column is already poor even with him. Gerks is a good keeper.but not even close to Bart.
3

Taricco_Fan added 16:22 - Jan 2 Bart has to be worth at least double that. Anything less than £8m would be bad business as far as I'm concerned and I think most Town fans would feel the same way. When you look at the exorbitant fees that distinctly average Premier League players are going for, £8m would be a snip for a proven top quality keeper approaching the peak of his game.
2

NBVJohn added 16:27 - Jan 2 The £4m is just a lazy newspaper benchmark against what has allegedly been agreed for the transfer of Sam Johnstone to WBA from Man Utd [although he's currently on loan at Aston Villa]. Two things come to mind: 1. if it's £4m for a young, relatively untried but promising keeper, Bart's experience should command a higher fee. 2. It's probably just a convenient vehicle for the Mirror to include the story again. I don't trust the club to either tell the truth around their intentions for Bart, and I also don't think they can be trusted to negotiate the fee we expect if they decide to sell. Assuming that Bart is sold, look out for an undisclosed fee as a tell tale sign that IM/ME made a pigs ear of the negotiations.

1

hyperbrit added 16:31 - Jan 2 ....Evans will sell him for the best price he can get to make sure that Town stays in the Championship!!
1

martin587 added 17:11 - Jan 2 We should do away with the January transfer window.!Selling Bart will be a major lose to the club and it will be almost impossible to replace him.He is one of the best keepers outside the premiership. 4 million is derisory in today's market especially if a premier league club is chasing him.If he is happy here so we are lead to believe,then why sell him.But on the other hand we cannot deny him a move.

2

jas0999 added 17:20 - Jan 2 Another test for Evans. Interesting to see how this one plays out.
1

Kikapu added 17:35 - Jan 2 It'll be very interesting indeed, but I'm confident that management will have the club's interest at heart - after all why wouldn't it? If he is sold I'm sure that the incoming players will result in a stronger team. Perhaps a slightly weaker GK but a stronger defensive unit for a start.
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Blue46 added 17:36 - Jan 2 With ambition like this I don't understand why the ground is less than half full most weeks.
1

hyperbrit added 17:38 - Jan 2 Evans is a businessman...he has seen how trying to stay in the Premiership can ruin a club (look at Norwich),so he's decided to stay where he is,sell his best players and use the tax write off. The promised land is a poison chalice unless you're one of the top six!!
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camblue added 17:38 - Jan 2 Even if Bart is sold, we all know where the money will go.
1

HARRY10 added 17:57 - Jan 2 I think fans forget that it is often out of our (and other clubs) hands. He will certainly have release clause in his contract. Any buying club will be aware of the amount and if they want the player and think he is worth that amount there is little we can do.
1

lightingblue added 18:01 - Jan 2 Anybody would think that Bart is the only half decent keeper in the country. McCarthy has done a wonderful job in finding young players from lower leagues. He can get another keeper. Pretty simple really. Evans have probably laid down the rules from day one go to McCarthy regards spending on players.
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