West Brom won't feel so bad after multi-million pound Crystal Palace fiasco: View | OneFootball

Crystal Palace have released Nathan Ferguson four years after he joined from West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer following a contentious saga.

The Premier League club announced its retained list earlier this week and confirmed that the 23-year-old will leave Selhurst Park at the end of the month once his contract expires.

“We can also confirm that Nathan Ferguson will depart the club upon the expiration of his contract this summer," Palace's statement read.

"The club would like to place on record its thanks to Nathan for his efforts and wish him well in his future career.”

Ferguson signed for Palace on a free transfer in July 2020 but managed just eight minutes of senior football over four injury-plagued seasons in South London.

Nathan Ferguson's injury record at Crystal Palace

Two months after signing, the defender suffered a hamstring injury which ruled him out until the following May, when he tore his Achilles just three weeks after returning to full fitness.

Ferguson was again given the all-clear to return in November 2021, but two months later he was sidelined again by a recurrence of his Achilles problems and his last Premier League appearance came in a 3-0 defeat against Tottenham on Boxing Day three years ago.

While undoubtedly unfortunate, Ferguson's dismal injury record at Selhurst Park has spared West Brom's blushes after he left The Hawthorns in acrimonious circumstances.

A product of The Baggies' academy, at 19 Ferguson established himself as a starter in the 2019-20 season under Slaven Bilic, as West Brom finished second in the Championship and sealed automatic promotion.

Nathan Ferguson transfer saga explained

Ferguson attracted interest from a number of clubs in England and abroad and was on the verge of joining Palace in January 2020 for a deal that Sky Sports reported to be worth up to £10m. The move, however, fell through because of a knee injury and Ferguson remained at West Brom but did not feature again for the remainder of the season.

He then turned down a new deal in June 2020, before signing for Palace on a free transfer the following month.

At the time, Bilic expressed his frustration over Ferguson's contract impasse, arguing clubs ought to be better protected or risked losing academy products 'for nothing'.

Clubs are entitled to a fee set by a tribunal if an academy product moves within England on a free transfer before turning 24, but the rule does not apply to foreign clubs.

Slaven Bilic hit out at transfer rules

"They have to do something to protect the clubs," Bilic told BBC Radio WM after Ferguson turned down West Brom's offer.

"I'm gutted because we're in a situation like many other clubs. You are producing players. Produce, produce. Your academy is vital.

"Your academy is important. These situations keep happening. Not only with us, but every club. [...] For clubs, the only way of survival is by producing players.

"And if they go abroad, they go for basically nothing. They've got to change it. They have to find a solution. There's a solution for everything."

Palace were eventually ordered to pay £900,000 in compensation to West Brom in November 2021 but Ferguson's transfer saga ended with no winners.

He leaves Selhurst Park after what must have been a really frustrating few years and though the Baggies would not wish ill health on any former players, they may well be feeling very regretful were he thriving with the Eagles now and not leaving as a free agent.