Speculation mounts on Pulis future

The future of Tony Pulis as manager of Crystal Palace was up in the air tonight.

It was widely reported that Pulis and club co-chairman Steve Parish were holding talks to discuss issues relating to transfer dealings.

According to BBC Sport, Pulis has been frustrated by the club failing to push through deals for various players he targeted to strengthen the Palace squad.

News of the meeting emerged 48 hours before Palace’s opening game of the season against Arsenal, which takes place on Saturday evening.

Bookmakers drastically cut the odds on Pulis being the next Premier League manager to leave his post, with some closing the market due to heavy betting on the Welshman, who had gone from being a 40/1 shot on Wednesday to the odds-on favourite.

Palace did not immediately respond to requests to clarify the situation.

Pulis led Palace to survival in the top flight last season after inheriting a squad in turmoil in November, and was named the League Managers Association’s Premier League manager of the year in May.

Before reports of the meeting involving Pulis and Parish emerged, Palace clinched the signing of Liverpool defender Martin Kelly on a three-year contract.

The 24-year-old made his Reds debut back in 2009 but found first-team opportunities limited, with a serious knee injury also ruling him out for a year.

Kelly, capped once by England in a 2012 friendly against Norway, became Pulis’ fourth signing of the summer following the acquisitions of Chris Kettings, Fraizer Campbell and Brede Hangeland.

Confirming the move on their official website, the south London club wrote: “Crystal Palace are delighted to confirm the signing of versatile defender Martin Kelly from Liverpool for an undisclosed fee.”

Palace have been linked with a move to bring their former forward Wilfried Zaha back to Selhurst Park after a difficult first year at Manchester United.

Speaking on Tuesday, Parish told Sky Sports News: “It’s up to the manager, the players we sign. It’s not up to me. I’m there to help him get the squad he wants.

”There’s a sentimental value and I loved Wilf as a kid and he did sensational things for us.

”I know the fans would like him back and that will play a part, but in the end the manager will decide what we do.“

Talk of Pulis possibly leaving Palace caused a stir earlier, with former England captain Gary Lineker, now host of Match of the Day, writing on Twitter: “Seems that Tony Pulis is walking away from Crystal Palace. Extraordinary turn of events just 2 days before the start of the season.”