Crystal Palace and Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison could realise his Premiership ambitions with Charlton Athletic next season, following reports of a £5 million bid from the South London club.

Tooting-born Morrison, 23, is currently on World Cup duty with the Irish squad in Japan and Korea and has reportedly caught the eye of Charlton manager Alan Curbishley, who made a bid last week.

Crystal Palace have refused to comment on the transfer speculation but are thought to be willing to sell Morrison, who has two years left on his current contract, after the World Cup finals, if the price is right.

Palace chairman Simon Jordan told fans in April that he had already turned down a £5 million bid for his star striker from bitter rivals Birmingham City.

But his reasons for turning them down were probably more to do with manager Steve Bruce than Birmingham's valuation and he may be willing to consider a similar bid from Charlton.

He said: "If I get a bid on the table for Clinton and it's the right bid for this football club, then I'll give it due consideration."

Morrison scored 24 goals last season, made his international debut and won a place in the Irish squad with two goals in just five international appearances, four from the bench.

He has yet to make a finals appearance for the Irish, who qualified for the second round with a 3-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in Yokohama on Tuesday, and he is unlikely to make one now that the first round games have been completed.

Morrison made his ambitions to play Premiership football clear last season, preferably with Palace but he said that if he were to move this summer he would prefer to move to a London club.

He said: "My ambition is to play at the highest level and test myself against the best. I think something is going to happen this summer."

Morrison was Spurs fan as a boy and would probably prefer a move to a bigger and more glamorous club than Charlton, with both Tottenham and Fulham showing interest.

But unless either of those clubs table a bid, Morrison may well be Valley bound this summer.

June 12, 2002 10:00