Crystal Palace lead chase for Peter Odemwingie
Peter Odemwingie's bitter West Brom exit today took another twist with promoted Crystal Palace new favourites to take the striker.
Odemwingie is looking for a way out from the Hawthorns after his stay collapsed into an open feud with the club following the Queens Park Rangers transfer farce in January.
But with Swansea's board unwilling to consider recruiting the 31-year-old because of his clouded reputation, Palace are reported to be ready to take a chance on the Nigeria international.
Striking a deal with the Baggies, who still have the player on contract and in owner Jeremy Peace possess one of the game's most stubborn deal-makers, will still be a problem for any would-be suitors.
West Brom head coach Steve Clarke is relaxed that the issue will be resolved, but is in no mood to contribute to the speculation.
He said: "I haven't had any talks, because I have been on holiday. The club had a meeting scheduled, which was cancelled, and that's the last I heard. The PFA couldn't get a delegate there.
"It's a situation that will be resolved over the summer. That's why we have got a technical director and a chairman who like to do deals.
"That's their job. It would be nice if people stopped asking questions on it. It will be resolved in its own time and hopefully there will be a resolution."
Clarke has been more concerned fine-tuning plans for the club's pre-season schedule which will begin with next month's training camp in Austria and game against Bundesliga outfit Hannover.
He said: "It's been a little bit harder to get opponents this year because almost every single major league in Europe starts on August 3. We start two weeks after.
"But I have been to Austria before, I like it. It's a good country. The training facilities are excellent, the food is good. It's a good place, it's relaxed, low-key.
"The climate can be quite hot. I went there with West Ham one year and it was in the 30s. But we train early morning and late in the afternoon, so we tend to miss the warm part of the day.
"I'm looking forward to it, it should be good. Training camps are always good because that's when you have a chance to get the group together and build ideas and the spirit for the season coming up."
