Crystal Palace eye January move for Man City star amid Brennan Johnson roadblock
Crystal Palace are now targeting a Man City sensation after being dealt a roadblock in their pursuit of Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson, according to a new report.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding his long-term future and murmurs that he won’t be signing a new deal, manager Oliver Glasner is still prioritising attacking reinforcements next month after a good start to the campaign.
The south Londoners are still well in contention for a European place, but they quite simply need more options if they’re to maintain that charge, with Ismaila Sarr’s AFCON departure leaving them even more exposed.
The Eagles are particularly light out wide, as only Sarr, Yeremy Pino and Romain Esse are viewed as natural options in those positions, though Eddie Nketiah has also been deployed on the flanks in recent weeks out of necessity.
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Recent reports suggest that Palace are eyeing Johnson as a serious option ahead of the winter window, with credible media sources believing that the 24-year-old could leave next month after falling out of favour under Thomas Frank.
Steve Parish and co are also apparently more advanced than other suitors, but reportedly face stiff competition from the likes of Aston Villa.
Make no mistake, Palace’s primary attacking target is Johnson, but the Welsh international’s £50 million price tag also represents a significant ‘stumbling block’ for Glasner’s side.
That is according to talkSPORT, who report that Palace do have an alternative to the Spurs winger.
Crystal Palace eye January move for Oscar Bobb
Indeed, Man City’s Oscar Bobb has emerged as a potentially more viable plan B option should Palace fail to secure their top target, with the 22-year-old also attracting interest from Fulham and La Liga side Sevilla.
The versatile winger can operate comfortably on either flank and would add unpredictability, pace and technical quality to Glasner’s attacking options.
Bobb’s potential availability in January hinges entirely on whether City complete their pursuit of Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, who has emerged as one of the Premier League’s standout attacking talents this season.
The Ghana international favours a move to the Etihad Stadium despite interest from several other top-flight clubs, and his release clause of £65 million must be triggered within the first 10 days of the January transfer window.
City are understood to be open to offers for Bobb next month, either on a permanent basis or a loan, having previously considered selling the player last summer before ultimately deciding to retain him.
The Norwegian has struggled for prominence this season, despite returning from the serious leg fracture that derailed his entire 24/25 campaign and kept him sidelined until April.
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Bobb has managed nine Premier League appearances totaling 467 minutes with just one assist this term, which came against Wolves on the opening day, and the recent promotion of Rayan Cherki to the starting lineup has further limited his chances.
Since making his debut in September 2023, Bobb has managed 47 senior appearances for City, contributing three goals and four assists across all competitions, with Guardiola recently calling him a ‘machine’.
However, both player and club had hoped his appearance tally would be significantly higher by this stage, with the unfortunate injury on the eve of last season ruining those development plans.
Now, a fresh start could be mutually beneficial to both Bobb and Palace.
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