Crystal Palace reportedly hope to pry Baptiste away from Bolton Wanderers

Two weeks ago, Bolton Wanderers had reportedly agreed terms with Blackpool defender Alex Baptiste. Per a report from the Bolton News, Baptiste had agreed terms and a three year deal with the Trotters, subject to a medical when his Blackpool contract expired. A new report from the Blackpool Gazette now claims that Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway is looking at a late push to bring the defender to Selhurst Park.

Bolton Wanderers had already agreed and announced a deal with Norwich City defender Marc Tierney and it seemed a certainty that Alex Baptiste would be Dougie Freedman's second senior signing of the summer.

The report from the Blackpool Gazette now casts some doubt on that, saying that Ian Holloway, who made Baptiste his captain at Blackpool, has held talks with the player's agent in hopes of taking him to the Premier League.

The Trotters had reportedly beat out a number of Championship clubs as well as newly-promoted Hull City, among others, to the defender's signature.