Crystal Palace interested in Man City star Pep Guardiola says is 'dynamic' and 'unbelievable'

Crystal Palace are being linked with a Manchester City star who is in need of regular football after injury issues in the season just gone. Oliver Glasner will need to prepare his side for European football next season, with the Eagles having bagged a Europa League spot via their FA Cup win.

It is no easy task to juggle Premier League and European football, especially for first-timers when it comes to European football, and the Eagles need more depth if they are going to manage it. New signings should be on the cards, especially with the added financial boost of qualifying for Europe, while there could also be a departure or two at Selhurst Park.

One player the Eagles could sign on loan is Manchester City star Oscar Bobb, who struggled with injury last season. The 21-year-old is liked by Pep Guardiola, but a season of regular football could do wonders for his development, and that’s something City recognise, according to Mick Brown, who says Palace are interested in a deal.

“A Premier League loan move is exactly what Bobb needs,” he told Football Insider. “After the injury he had, he has to prove to everybody that he is still capable at this level. It’s difficult to come back from something like that, he has some proving to do, but he has to be playing regularly to do it.

“If you take him out of that Man City side and put him in another Premier League team, a Crystal Palace or a Nottingham Forest, it will show where he’s at. Palace and Forest are both clubs I’ve heard are having a look at the deal. They’re not the only ones, there are a few teams who are interested, so we’ll see what happens. But if he gets the opportunity to move on loan to a team like Crystal Palace or Nottingham Forest, it’s one he and City will want to do.

“It makes perfect sense from all perspectives, providing the injury hasn’t caused any long-term issues. But that’s up to the clubs to figure out and decide if they want to bring him in.”

Guardiola on Bobb

Speaking in January, Guardiola praised the impact Bobb has had since breaking through to the first team in 2023. He said: “Txiki [director of football Txiki Begiristain] at the end of last season said to me that in the Under 23s [last season] Oscar Bobb was the best player by far and I said: ‘OK [he’ll] go to Japan [on our summer tour] to start to train with us. And immediately Oscar got something that is the most important thing. That is to rely on his mates.

“It’s more important than relying on the manager. When the mates can say: ‘OK - this player can play with us’, that is the best success. And it was immediately. He can play in five positions, striker, right wing, left, in the pockets... [he is] so dynamic and the work ethic is unbelievable. Here [at Newcastle] in the Carabao Cup in the first half of that game he was outstanding the way he played, and he doesn’t feel much the pressure.

“I don’t know what happens with players in the Academy, look at Cole Palmer - he is doing really well at Chelsea and I’m so happy for him and all the players [like] Rico [Lewis] and Phil [Foden]. And it’s important for us and for the Club to bring players [through] from the Academy and help us you know. When Jack [Grealish] has had problems this season and John Stones and now Manu [Akanji], Kevin [De Bruyne] and Erling [Haaland] out, an important part of the season is November and December with a lot of games and important players were not there and Oscar helped us.

“That is great, it’s really, really great. We have another player for many years for us if he decides to stay as for now he is happy with his minutes like Cole Palmer was happy with his minutes. But after two or three years they want more and it’s natural, its completely understandable and maybe I don’t give them the minutes and they decide to go. If he decides to stay, we have a player for many, many years.”

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