Palace make triple bid

Crystal Palace have launched an audacious bid to snatch Michael Carrick and Marlon Harewood from West Ham, the team they beat in last season’s play-off final.

The Eagles have offered West Ham £2.5m (€3.7m) for Carrick and £1m (€1.5m) for Harewood, while also bidding £1.5m (€2.2m) for Southampton defender Fitz Hall.

Palace won promotion to the Premiership by defeating the Hammers 1-0 at the Millennium Stadium, and signing two of their players would only rub salt into the wound.

Carrick’s future at Upton Park was cast into doubt immediately after that match but a potential move away from the club failed to materialise for the former England international.

Speculation has also linked Harewood with a move away from West Ham, where manager Alan Pardew favours playing the striker out of position on the right of midfield.

Eagles boss Iain Dowie has long been an admirer of Hall having signed him for Oldham.

Signing all three players would take Palace chairman Simon Jordan’s summer spending close to the £8m (€12m) mark following the arrival of Julian Speroni, Mark Hudson, Emmerson Boyce and Joonas Kolkka at Selhurst Park.