CRYSTAL PALACE want Middlesbrough's Joseph Job to become Andrew Johnson's long-term strike partner at Selhurst Park.

Johnson ended months of speculation yesterday when he signed a new five-year deal with the Eagles, despite the club's relegation from the Premiership.

And now Palace boss Iain Dowie is hoping to follow up the 24-year-old's pledge to stay put by making a concerted effort to land fourth choice Boro striker Job.

The arrival of Aiyegbeni Yakubu at the Riverside Stadium has left manager Steve McClaren looking to offload a number of strikers this summer and he has so far failed.

A move to Italy for Massimo Maccarone failed to materialise and his return to the North-East has left McClaren with eight front-men ahead of the campaign.

There is still a shrinking possibility Mark Viduka could still become the subject of a bid from Newcastle if the Magpies find the sort of money that would tempt Boro into selling the Australian.

But that would still leave Boro with too many forwards and, although the club would prefer to move on Szilard Nemeth and Maccarone, Job would be sold.

Sources in London claim Palace are ready to offer £1m for the Cameroon international, who cost £3m five years ago during Bryan Robson's reign.

Job has made no secret of his desire to leave and play first team football if he is only going to be used as back up to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Yakubu.

He is likely to be lukewarm on the idea of stepping down to the Championship, especially with the World Cup just around the corner and has high hopes of playing in Germany.

Job would prefer to stay in the Premiership, while there has previously been talk of him going back to France where he has previously played for RC Lens, Metz and Lyon.

As if to highlight Boro's embarrassment of striking riches both Maccarone and Malcolm Christie have been omitted from the senior squad to face Atletico Madrid at the Riverside tonight. The pair will be at Whitby Town to play in a North Riding Senior Cup final at the Turnbull Ground instead.

Yakubu will be handed the chance to shine for the first time in front of his new supporters when the Spaniards come to town.

There is still a chance Boro could resurrect a deal for Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands, but North-East rivals Newcastle are monitoring the situation.

Lovenkrands' chances of playing on Teesside looked to have disappeared last week when the two clubs failed to reach an agreement over the deal.

It is believed Boro wanted to take the player on a three-month loan deal but the Ibrox board are only willing to do business if cash is exchanged.

McClaren sent Don Mackay north of the border on Saturday to witness the Dane in the 3-0 win over Livingston, and Newcastle were also represented in the stands.

Both McClaren and opposite number Graeme Souness are looking to add a left-winger to their squad before the start of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Boro have allowed teenager Andrew Taylor to go to Bradford on a season-long loan.

The Bantams have already tried once to broker a deal for the 19-year-old who was part of the England squad that reached the European Under-19s Championships last week.

Taylor, from Hartlepool, is a left-back and following the arrival of Emanuel Pogatetz from Bayer Leverkusen there was little chance of him breaking through to the first team this season.

Bradford boss Colin Todd said: "The boy has got tremendous pedigree. What he does need is first team football and hopefully he can fulfil his potential at our club."

Taylor's first match in League One for his new club will be to face hometown club Hartlepool on Saturday.

Boro goalkeeper Ross Turnbull, 20, has also been loaned out and has joined Championship side Crewe until December 31. He has already enjoyed loan spells at Barnsley and Darlington.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.