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.

Related Crystal Palace learn Brennan Johnson stance on January transfer from Tottenham

The Wales international is a key target heading into the winter.

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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.

Subscribe to our newsletter for top transfer insight Get smarter on transfer moves by subscribing to our newsletter, which breaks down targets, stumbling blocks and plan-B options like Oscar Bobb, and provides clear Premier League transfer analysis and context you can trust. Subscribe Subscribe to our newsletter for top transfer insight Get smarter on transfer moves by subscribing to our newsletter, which breaks down targets, stumbling blocks and plan-B options like Oscar Bobb, and provides clear Premier League transfer analysis and context you can trust.

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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.

Related Crystal Palace keen on "incredible" £50k-p/w forward with same agent as Pino

Oliver Glasner is looking to upgrade his attacking options.

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The Eastern Province Jumbos went to the top ofthe Standard Bank Cup log with a thrilling six-run win over the Border Bearsat Buffalo Park on Wednesday night.It was a victory which looked for muchof the game as though it would go the other way, as Border appeared to havejudged their tough run-chase perfectly. Once again, though, their frailtyunder pressure eventually told.Chasing a daunting target of 261, Border appeared to have laid thefoundations for vicotory as they reached 228 for four, with less than arun-a-ball required over the closing overs. But a couple of dubious shots,an unlucky run out and Mornantau Hayward’s slower ball proved decisive forEP, as Border lost their last six wickets for just 22 runs.Three timesHayward picked up wickets with his well-disguised slower ball, although hesaved himself some acute embarrassment after putting down two caught andbowled chances in the same over.It was a waste of some fine batting higher up the order from openersLaden Gamiet and Ian Mitchell who saw off the impressive Mfuneko Ngam andMeyrick Pringle before taking apart the rest of the EP attack in a stand of85.Gamiet’s demise for 57 only cleared the stage for Craig Sugden whose 84looked to have put Border on the brink of victory. But when he was part of amiddle-order collapse which featured a duck for Mark Boucher, the gameturned decisively in EP’s favour.With seven runs needed off eight balls,Makhaya Ntini skied Hayward to bring down the curtain on a compelling game.Earlier, man-of-the-match Carl Bradfield struck a fine 91 as EP builtwhat turned out to be a winning total after being put into bat by theirhosts. That the score was eventually as imposing as it was was also theresponsibility of the veteran Dave Callaghan, who struck an unbeaten 37 offjust 17 balls as the overs ran out.Callaghan and Justin Kemp combined totake 19 off the penultimate over from the otherwise impeccable West Indianpaceman Vasbert Drakes.

Unperturbed by a mammoth 457 for 5 declared from Haryana and a finebowling display by Amit Mishra (4 for 72), Himachal Pradesh proceededto score 231 for 4 on the third day of their North Zone Ranji Trophyclash at the Paddal Ground in Mandi on Sunday.Resuming at 34 for no loss, overnight batsmen, stumper Arun Verma (37)and Nischal Gaur (64) forged a century stand. With the partnershipworth 110, Arun was the first to return to the pavilion, trapped legbefore by Mishra. This brought skipper Rajeev Nayyar (4) to thecentre. The other opener Gaur did not last long and departed in the60th over, caught by Jasvir off Mishra after a 232 minute stay at thecrease.Amit Sharma (58 not out) joined his captain and took the score on to150 when the latter fell to a catch by Ishan Ganda off Mishra. Afterthe fall of Nayyar, Amit and Varindar Sharma (45) put on 70 runs forthe fourth wicket. Varindar Sharma was trapped in front of the stumpsby Mishra with the score at 220. Chetan Kumar (6 not out) along withAmit ensured that HP went into stumps with no further hiccups.

Plans for a Bob Woolmer memorial tournament at Edgbaston have been cancelled due to funding problems, according to a report in the Birmingham Post.A Twenty20 event had been planned with the aim of raising funds for a Woolmer Academy in South Africa and Inzamam-ul-Haq, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting and Michael Vaughan had agreed to captain four international sides.However, organisers were forced to pull the plug after issues with funding agreements with the academy and a lack of interest from television companies. The paper said that the event, which was due to be held on July 25, clashed with India’s tour of Sri Lanka.It is hoped that two celebration dinners will still take place, one in London and the other in Birmingham.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPaul Stirling’s incisive spell was followed by a John Mooney hat-trick at the end of the first innings as Ireland quelled a Jersey threat to seal their spot in the 2016 World T20. Ireland’s qualification was also helped by losses to Papua New Guinea and Namibia. PNG, Namibia and Hong Kong finished on seven points to confirm their place in the playoffs next week.Stirling claimed 3 for 16 before bashing a swift half-century in the chase, which was sealed with 20 balls to spare, while Jersey’s knockout stage hopes were extinguished with the loss.Jersey were 88 for 1 in 13 overs after being sent in as captain Peter Gough and Sussex academy batsman Jonty Jenner put on a 46-run stand before Stirling sparked the visitors’ slide with the wicket of Jenner. However, replays showed that Jenner was struck outside the line of off stump on his attempted sweep.Jersey were still in with a chance though at 102 for 2 in 15 overs with Gough still at the crease, but Stirling and Alex Cusack continued to keep Jersey off balance and the last eight wickets fell for just 16 runs. Stirling hadn’t bowled since the tournament opener against Namibia, but his spell shifted momentum back in favour of Ireland as he induced Cornelis Bodenstein to loft to long-off before another ill-advised sweep accounted for Anthony Kay.Cusack opened the bowling and was hit hard in his first two overs – going for 18 runs, but came back in the 17th to end Gough’s scratchy innings for 42 as he mistimed a slog over midwicket that was well taken by Stuart Poynter backpedaling from edge of the circle. He struck again four balls later, teaming up with Poynter at cover to get the right-handed Nat Watkins for 1 before snatching his third in the 19th over as Corey Bisson lofted to Stuart Thompson at long-off.Mooney reinforced his position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, moving to 14 in six games by wiping out the tail with a series of slower balls in the final over. Charles Perchard was done in by a yorker out of the back of the hand off an attempted paddle scoop. Kevin O’Brien claimed a skier on the next ball to remove Ben Kynman before George Dockrell settled at deep square leg to catch Ben Stevens and give Mooney his hat-trick.With Niall O’Brien still nursing a knee injury and unlikely to take any further part in the tournament, William Porterfield moved himself back up to open with Stirling for the first time in the tournament. The previous five opening partnerships – a mix of Stirling, O’Brien and Andy Balbirnie – amounted to a total of 27 runs, but the reunification of Ireland’s prolific opening duo from the last few years had its desired effect, adding 44 runs in just 4.5 overs.Jersey’s fielding, which had been impressive all tournament, let them down as Porterfield did survive a straightforward chance at slip in the first over. Stirling also could have been caught off a slash to third man on 35, but Nat Watkins opted to let the ball fall in front of him to prevent a boundary which left the bowler Kynman bemused.Porterfield added 17 to his tournament tally of 186, including a huge six that clanged off an oak tree beyond the deep square leg boundary but fell trying to repeat the shot off the following ball from Kay and was caught by Bodenstein running in from deep midwicket. Stirling added another 47 for the second wicket with Balbirnie and brought up his fifty off 34 balls, his first of the tournament, before being caught in the deep by Jenner off Stevens’ left-arm spin.The only other wicket to fall was Kevin O’Brien, leg before after missing a sweep to Stevens. Balbirnie and Gary Wilson took Ireland the rest of the way in an unbeaten 21-run stand. Balbirnie hit the winning single through the off side on the fourth ball of the 17th over to finish 32 not out while Wilson ended unbeaten on 11.

Amit Mishra will turn 33 this November. He has been a first-class cricketer since 2000, and made his international debut more than 12 years ago. Yet now is the most secure he can feel about his place in the side. This is the first time he is starting a home season with reasonable hope of playing a significant part in all three India squads. Before the Sri Lanka Tests in August this year, Mishra had played every match of a series only twice – against South Africa in 2010 and against England in 2008, both at home – but even then he did not feature in the limited-overs sides on those tours.The only other time he was picked in all the matches of a series – not counting those when first-choice players were rested – was the World Twenty20 last year, when Mishra repaid the faith by ending up as India’s second-best bowler, only to be left behind later in the year by Karn Sharma in the Tests and Axar Patel in the World Cup side. If he was hurt, he did a good job of not making it apparent. With the Sri Lanka tour and a dearth of spin, especially with Ravindra Jadeja not coming back the same bowler post a shoulder injury, Mishra has capitalised on the opportunity. He can now feel comfortable that he is a first pick in all squads. Except that he isn’t taking his place for granted.”Whether I will play depends on captain and team management,” Mishra said on the sidelines of India’s pre-season preparatory camp in Bangalore. “I still can’t say I will play all the matches, but yeah I can say that the way I have performed I should get some matches. I am positive in my mind, I am positive about my bowling, I am looking to improve.”Mishra knows better than to take his place in the side for granted. He has been in and out of the side most of his career. As he said in an interview with ESPNcricinfo earlier this year, Mishra has come back a more mature legspinner. He has shown better control of his legbreak, and through some variations has shown he can get better of his old problem: slow turn, which used to let batsmen recover even if he beat them in the air.Asked if he has ever bowled better, Mishra said: “I can only say I have improved. I have worked hard.”Asked about the slowness, he said: “Yes I needed to work on bowling the right pace for different pitches and different batsmen. I have worked hard on my fitness, on my strength. Now I feel I can bowl the pace I need.”How much confidence does being assured of a place give him? “Nobody should think along the lines of whether he is in the side or not,” Mishra said. “Just work on your bowling. I have just thought of ways to improve over the last four-five years. That chases out negative thoughts from your head.”No doubt you are disappointed when not part of the team, but whenever I have been left out of the team I have looked for ways to improve. Work on my fitness [apart from the bowling]. Work on my fielding. Work on my batting.”Mishra said he worked on his batting too to become more valuable to the side. He said he learnt the value of lower-order runs when he captained Haryana, when he always looked for extra runs from himself and fellow bowlers. In a team that is looking to play five bowlers, Mishra’s runs will be welcome.On Thursday Mishra, along with 29 of India’s best cricketers, will begin to work on his bowling, batting and fielding again after a short break. Thursday will be the fourth day of India’s pre-season camp, which got off to a slow start with the board president dying on the eve of the camp.The first three days have been all about medical appraisals and fitness work. Players have mostly stayed indoors. They began with a visit to Hosmat Hospital for a medical check-up followed by training in the gym of National Cricket Academy at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu had a net session on Wednesday, but it was optional activity.

Keith Exton, the Glamorgan groundsman, has left his role with immediate effect just days before the international T20 double-header in Cardiff following the dangerous pitch which forced a Royal London Cup match against Hampshire to be abandoned earlier this month.Exton had recently been put on “gardening leave” as the club investigated the incident which led to them being fined £9000 – £5000 of which was suspended until the end of the 2016 season and £4000 ordered in compensation to Hampshire – while they were also handed a two-point penalty.Glamorgan had suffered a previous two-point penalty last year – which meant they began this season on minus two – for a pitch rated “poor”, again in the Royal London Cup, against Durham. It was the same strip in both instances.Exton’s assistant, Robin Saxton, had already been put in charge of producing the pitch for the third Women’s T20 – which could yet be an Ashes decider – and the one-off match between the men which follows on August 31.The match on August 2 against Hampshire was called off 6.4 overs into the second innings when Jimmy Adams was struck on the helmet by a delivery from Michael Hogan which climbed alarmingly off a length.At the time Hugh Morris, the Glamorgan chief executive, called it “a dark day for the club”.In a brief statement following Exton’s departure he said: “On behalf of Glamorgan County Cricket Club I would like to thank Keith for the contribution he has made to the club and wish him well in his future endeavours.”The club statement made mention of the two Ashes pitches Exton had produced – in 2009 and this year – the second of which ended in a four-day England victory.

Touring the subcontinent brings sharp focus on a team’s ability to tackle spin. South Africa have not backed down from that challenge and, judging from the Dharamsala and Cuttack T20Is, AB de Villiers has suggested spin has not been the deciding factor it was made out to be.”I honestly don’t think spin has been a theme of the series so far,” he said. “Our seamers were the ones that won us the two T20s. But saying that, India have got really good spinners in their team and we are expecting the wickets to get slower and turn more as we move on in the series.”Should that be the case, someone of the caliber of R Ashwin can become very threatening. Ashwin has dismissed de Villiers two out of two times in the tour so far. So is the South African captain worried?”I don’t feel he got me out in either of the two games. I got myself out in both the games,” De Villiers said. “When you start getting technical flaws against a bowler, then you have to worry about it. But I was looking to dominate against him. The last time I got a little bit lazy perhaps, played for spin, but it didn’t get spin. So there is not much to worry about. Except for the fact that he is a world-class bowler and needs to be respected.”The progress of their training session in Kanpur also indicated South Africa want to be ready to unsettle a spinner when the need arises. De Villiers spent much of his net session whacking the slow bowlers over their heads while JP Duminy, the Man of the Series from the T20Is, entertained himself with some sweeps and reverse sweeps. Additionally, Green Park Stadium has rather small boundaries. It also has a flat deck, with just enough grass to prevent it from breaking up too badly. So there should not be many instances of a batsman thinking twice before going on the attack.”The wicket that is out there, that I saw, doesn’t look like that [a turner],” De Villiers said. “Looks like a really good cricket wicket. Expect normal spin. Nothing out of this world.”So South Africa will likely bank on the returning Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel to pull some rabbits out of the hat. Both bowlers have not been in action at international cricket since August.”It’s Nice to have Morne and Dale back. They bring a lot of experience to the side. Haven’t seen them for a while now so they will be fresh as well,” de Villiers said. “Very excited to see them run in to bowl tomorrow. They are looking in really good form. Especially Morne who will be playing his 100th [sic 98th] ODI for South Africa tomorrow so we are all very happy for him. It’s a great achievement.”In their absence, Kyle Abbott has made an excellent case to be a first-choice pick and at practice, it seemed he was among their frontline death bowlers. The story goes that Lasith Malinga practiced his yorkers with a boot placed in front of the stumps. Abbott had a football to target while refining his wide and leg-stump toecrushers. “We’ve got a very good, balanced bowling attack,” de Villiers said confidently. “We’ve got guys who can swing it, guys who can move it off the seam and we’ve got good spin bowlers. We’ve got an offspinner, a legspinner, and Phangiso as a [left-arm] option so we cover all bases.”South Africa also have momentum now. “We have won the T20 series 2-0, I don’t think a lot of people expected that. We’d love to do a similar kind of thing in the ODIs. We know it’s not going to be easy. Five ODIs in India, lots of travelling, lots of different wickets, different grounds. It’s going to be challenging, but we’ve got every form of momentum on our side and we are hoping take that into tomorrow.”

ScorecardFawad Ahmed took five wickets in the first innings and added another early in the second (file photo)•Getty Images

Test aspirant Cameron Bancroft fell cheaply for the second time in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG, where the Warriors were set a chase of 390 for victory. At stumps on the third day they still needed a further 365 with opener Will Bosisto at the crease on 15 alongside nightwatchman David Moody on 0, with the total at 1 for 25.They had already lost Bancroft, who was lbw to Fawad Ahmed for 6 to add to his 4 from the first innings, hardly the kind of audition he was hoping for after Usman Khawaja’s hamstring injury opened up a place in the Test side. His team-mates and fellow Test contenders, Shaun Marsh and Michael Klinger, had scored fifties in the first innings and will likely bat on day four.The day had started with the Warriors on 7 for 217 in their first innings, and they added 55 for the loss of their final three wickets. Ashton Agar scored 54 and Fawad finished with 5 for 105 after claiming two of the last three wickets in the innings.Victoria extended their healthy lead through opener Rob Quiney, who top scored in the second innings with 79. Peter Handscomb (36), Glenn Maxwell (38) and debutant wicketkeeper Aaron Ayre (36) all made contributions before the declaration came at 7 for 238.