SAINTS have agreed to sell Fitz Hall to Crystal Palace - for a fee thought to be in the region of £1.5m.

With Michael Svensson ruled out from the start of the season with his knee injury, it is a move which could leave Paul Sturrock somewhat short of cover at centre-back for Saturday's Premiership opener at Aston Villa.

Saints chairman Rupert Lowe immediately revealed he had a replacement in mind and stressed that the decision for Hall to move had been made by the player.

Lowe has always stressed that it is his policy not to keep any player if they don't want to stay.

South London-born Hall impressed in 11 first-team outings for Saints last season - three of which were from the bench - but is probably only fourth choice centre-back after Claus Lundekvam, Svensson and Danny Higginbotham.

With Svensson injured, Sturrock will probably have to turn to Darren Kenton as his main cover on Saturday.

Former Manchester United centre-back Ronny Johnsen, 35, is currently on trial at Saints - he played as a sub against Cheivo Verona in a friendly last Saturday - and could also potentially provide cover this season.

But it is doubtful whether Johnsen, who has indicated he will retire from football next summer, is the "replacement" Lowe has mentioned.

The Eagles had officially tabled a £1.5m bid for the player three weeks ago, but have long targeted the classy 23-year-old with the lure of first-team football and a chance to link up with Hall's former boss at Oldham Iain Dowie.

Lowe confirmed: "At Fitz's request we have given Crystal Palace permission to speak to him but any move will of course be subject to a medical and the two parties agreeing personal terms.

"Obviously we would like to keep him as part of our squad but as a club we have always subscribed to the view that we only want players who want to be here.

"I think the chance to link up with Iain Dowie again was a big factor for Fitz and the talks will probably reach their conclusion in the next couple of days.

"It may be a blow to lose Fitz but people need not worry about whether he will have a successor.

"We have somebody in mind and if the need arises we would expect to replace him within the next week or so."

The transfer will represent a tidy profit for Saints, who paid Oldham just £250,000 for the player last summer, although that has to be weighed up against the wisdom of selling one of the club's most promising young players.

Hall has enjoyed an impressive rise through the ranks in recent years after playing for Ryman League Chesham as recently as March 2002.

At Chesham he was converted from a striker into a defender by Bob Dowie - the brother of Iain and now director of football at Crystal Palace.

He then linked up with Iain Dowie at Oldham before financial pressures forced the club to sell him to Saints - against Iain Dowie's wishes. Oldham had turned down a bigger offer from Cardiff City for Hall just days before Saints' cut-price bid was accepted.

Dowie has already signed former Wimbledon defender Mark Hudson, who played alongside Hall when on loan to Oldham, this summer.

Hall is assured of first-team football at Palace, with Bob Dowie having previously described him in the Daily Echo as "the next Rio Ferdinand." He said: "I've worked with Rio (at West Ham's academy) and Fitz can be better. I know Iain believes he can play for England."

If Hall was to be sold, he would be only the fourth player to depart Saints for a sizeable fee since they moved to St Mary's - after Dean Richards (£8.1m), Wayne Bridge (£7m) and Paul Jones (£250,000).