Palace Deny Rumours

By: Stephen Bateman
Date: 09/01/2001

Both Zhang Enhua and Crystal Palace have played down newspaper speculation linking the two parties. Reports originating from the London Evening Standard had suggested that Palace were set to complete the signing of Enhua later today, although the defender now looks set to remain with Grimsby.

A Crystal Palace press officer told The Fishy that although the Eagles were currently in negotiations with Zhang's compatriots Sun Jiha and Li Ming, he was unaware of any such contact with Enhua.

Meanwhile, the player himself branded the speculation as being "nonsense" in an official statement issued through his interpreter Sam Xie Qiang this morning.

Zhang claims that he told fellow countryman Fan Zhiyi, currently a Palace player himself, that he "is not willing to go to Crystal Palace", whilst also re-assuring fans he is happy at Grimsby for the time being and that he is appreciative of the reception he has received since his arrival in Cleethorpes.

The Chinese international will line up alongside Zhiyi against the likes of Marcelo Salas and Fabrizio Ravanelli later this evening, as China take on Italian giants Lazio in a friendly.

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