Palace to announce Johnson remaining with club

After two months of wrangling between the player and Palace, the chairman Simon Jordan believed yesterday that he had finally won the battle to keep Johnson and at about 3pm they announced that the player would be attending a press conference today with the manager Iain Dowie.

Although they did not disclose the nature of the announcement, sources have indicated that Crystal Palace believed Johnson was ready to withdraw his transfer request and pledge his future to helping his club to regain their Premiership status.

However, it is understood that the 24-year-old is still unconvinced that his future lies at Selhurst Park and has come under pressure from officials at Palace to withdraw his transfer request.

Palace have rejected one bid from Tottenham and discouraged interest in the player from Manchester City and Everton.

Jordan has been robust in his refusal to let the player leave and, with four years left on his contract, is in a strong bargaining position. Nevertheless, the striker has tried to make his representations as sensitively as possible to Palace fans.