By Mark Ritson (Twitter @MR_LWMedia)
CRYSTAL Palace co-chairman Steve Parish has, ahead of tonight's game with Sunderland, reiterated the Eagles are not close to being taken over by new owners.
Reports in the media have suggested in the last ten days that American billionaire Josh Harris has agreed to buy Palace and generate large funds for the January transfer window.
Parish, writing in his matchday programme notes, admitted the club's board have been approached by interested parties before and also held talks.
Whether they have done with Harris and his representatives is unknown, but the supremo says he will always look out for the best interests of Palace in the long term.
Parish said: "Over the last seven days there has been a lot of speculation surrounding the ownership of this football club.
"As for anything being imminent I can assure you that we are certainly not close to being in a position of announcing any changes.
"It is not helpful if every single time we talk to interested parties or individuals that it gets out to the media but I have to accept that this kind of thing does happen through whatever means.
"I can assure you that there have also been many times where we have held discussions and it has remained private.
"This club is part of the biggest league in the world, we get approaches from many interested parties and as I have I always said as a group of owners we will consider everything and look at whatever is in the best long-term interests of this club."
