Tony Popovic... linked with return to C. Palace.

Western Sydney Wanderers chairman Paul Lederer will not be standing in Tony Popovic’s way if he wants to replace Neil Warnock as Crystal Palace manager.

The 41-year-old Popovic is one of the favourites for the vacant position at Selhurst Park, with another ex-Eagle, Alan Pardew, heading the betting.

Pardew fuelled speculation by swerving his post-match media duties after Newcastle’s win over Everton on Sunday, but would be a difficult capture given he has five-and-a-half years left on his deal in the north east.

There would be nothing stopping Popovic if Palace were to move for their former defender, though.

“Absolutely. If he was bettering himself and went to the EPL and he got the top job, I’d be wishing him all the best and good luck to him,” Lederer said in the Sydney Morning Herald.

The newspaper reported that Palace had contacted Popovic about the job and Lederer is awaiting talks with his manager.

“I’m absolutely sure we’ll be discussing it. It could be as early as tomorrow or the day after, we’ll certainly be discussing it,” Lederer said.

Popovic played for Palace between 2001 and 2006 and also served as an assistant to former manager Dougie Freedman in 2012.

Since then he has been in charge of Sydney, guiding them to the A-League title and more impressively the AFC Champions League crown.

The latest development came after Pardew emerged as a surprise frontrunner.

There has been no comment from Pardew, Newcastle or Palace about the link, and when asked if there was a sinister reason as to why his boss had skipped his press conferences, Magpies assistant manager John Carver was none the wiser.

“He (Pardew) just said, ‘Will you go and do the press for me?’ That was it,” Carver said.

“He is fine, he’s delighted.”