Alan Pardew dismisses Crystal Palace interest in Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic

Crystal Palace are not interested in pursuing a future deal for Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. The versatile defender, previously considered as one of European football's top right-backs, has struggled to recover from a drastic loss of form under Jose Mourinho last term and now appears somewhat surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge since Antonio Conte made the highly-successful switch to his favoured 3-4-3 system.

Hampered by poor performances and a muscle injury picked up on 2018 World Cup qualifying duty with Serbia, Ivanovic's substitute cameo in last weekend's 2-0 win at Southampton was a first appearance at club level since he started in Chelsea's heaviest defeat to Arsenal for almost two decades back in September.

With Ivanovic's current contract due to expire at the end of the current season and the prospect of a further one-year extension unlikely barring a huge upturn in form, speculation is already rife about the identity of his next employer.

The Mirror recently suggested that Palace had emerged as a potential suitor alongside various clubs from Europe and the Far East, although Pardew gave those rumours short shrift in a press conference held in advance of Saturday's (5 November) Premier League trip to Burnley.

"No interest at all," he responded when asked about those links to Ivanovic. "That's one of your stories."

Turkish giants Galatasaray have also been mentioned in connection with Ivanovic alongside a throng of cash-rich Chinese Super League (CSL) clubs, although the Standard recently claimed that the 32-year-old, who first joined Chelsea from Lokomotiv Moscow in a £9m ($11.2m) deal eight years ago, has set his sights on staying in London in the likely event that he is not offered fresh terms.

Speaking to Serbian newspaper Blic about being axed from Conte's starting XI in the 2-0 victory over Hull, the first game with the three-man defensive system that heralded a run of four straight league wins without conceding a goal, the player said: "I was maximum ready and healthy for the match with Hull, but I never got the chance. I'll always put myself below the interests of the team, be that national side or club.

"When the team is successful and when they win, it's quickly forgotten when you make mistakes. It's been a while since I was a back-up, but I do not mind. I'll sit on the bench whenever the coach decides, and not for the first time in these eight years at Chelsea."