Palace chairman Simon Jordan has rubbished claims that Birmingham City have made a sizeable bid for Andrew Johnson.
Weekend reports suggested City were willing to offer a deal worth £6.5m – involving two unnamed players plus cash – in exchange for the 24-year-old striker, but that the bid had been snubbed.
Birmingham chairman David Sullivan then told the Press Association: "We've been told that Andrew Johnson is not for sale. Their view is that they are going for promotion and wouldn't look at selling him until the summer at least."
But in his column for the Observer newspaper, Jordan has flatly denied any contact having been made with Palace by the Blues.
"It's just stunning," commented Jordan. "Let's be clear about this. Birmingham have not spoken to anyone senior at Palace, haven't made a bid, haven't made an enquiry.
"They haven't been told we'll sell him in the summer - they haven't been told anything.
"Sullivan has misled the press, his fans and ours, all - I'm guessing - in a sad attempt to make Birmingham look ambitious.
"It sums up the club - and its owners' routinely ridiculous conduct."