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Alan Pardew is believed to be keen on making a shock move to Crystal Palace.

The Newcastle boss refused to face the media following his side’s 3-2 victory over Everton on Sunday – with the club’s staff insisting he would not answer any questions about the vacant Palace job.

Pardew was installed as a short-priced favourite to succeed Neil Warnock at Selhurst Park.

And it is understood that the former Palace player would be open to a move back south if Palace do launch a bid.

Palace co-chairman Steve Parish wants an experienced Premier League manager to lead the club’s battle against relegation – but knows he will have to pay big money to land one.

(Image: Jamie McDonald)

Former boss Tony Pulis would only countenance a return if he was offered an eye-popping salary, while major compensation would be needed to lure either Pardew or Hull boss Steve Bruce, who may also be open to a Selhurst Park return.

Toon owner Mike Ashley has backed Pardew to the hilt during poor runs of form and even after his manager received a lengthy ban for headbutting Hull’s David Meyler last season.

So Ashley, renowned for his tough negotiating, would be sure to fight any approach from Palace, making the process both messy and expensive.

Pardew has a monster contract which runs until 2020, with the Ashley camp insisting there are no break clauses in the deal – a claim which has been widely disputed.

The contenders to replace Neil Warnock:

Pardew has a relatively modest basic salary of around £800,000 at Newcastle and has been bruised by fan campaigns for his sacking earlier this season.

His main family home is in the Surrey village of Woldingham – not far from Palace’s training ground – and he is said to fancy a move back to the south-east, having even been seriously linked to Championship Fulham earlier this season.

Yet Parish’s key advisor Mark Bright, a former Palace team-mate of Pardew, is not believed to be a supporter of the Newcastle boss.

Tim Sherwood is not a contender for the Palace job, with the former Tottenham boss the favourite to succeed Alan Irvine, if the Scot is sacked by West Brom.

England Under-21 boss Gareth Southgate, a former Palace favourite as a player, is also a non-runner for the Selhurst Park hotseat.