Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson was annoyed when asked whether he would have supported Christian Benteke going on loan to Bordeaux this month.

"I just can't believe I'm being asked the question to be perfectly honest, I really can't.

"I can't believe in a serious press conference someone is going to suggest, where we have very few forwards anyway, a player that we're badly missing because he's been out injured, that we as a football club or I as the manager are seriously considering loaning out what is potentially one of our best players to a club in the French division.

"I'd love to know where the stories come from, I really would, but I still find it a little bit hard to believe.

"When I ask a question I do say to myself is there any point in asking that question because I know the answer. But we have to sit here every week and answer these questions which come from nowhere.

"It's not quite as ludicrous as Wilf Zaha on loan to Bayern Munich. It's about 10 per cent less ludicrous than that."