LATEST: Blackpool launch late, late bid for Portsmouth target as move for Ipswich Town, Peterborough and Preston North End-linked man looks set to be dashed

And that’s set to dash Pompey’s effort to bring in one of Danny Cowley’s key striking targets this summer.

The chance to play Championship football looks certain to be too good for Bishop to turn down, as he prepares to make a move to Bloomfield Road.

Pompey were leading the way and set to land the Accrington front man, as they fended off interest from MK Dons for the forward linked with the likes of Ipswich Town, Preston North End and Peterborough in the past.

A fee in the region of £500,000 had been agreed, but, according to football transfer journalist, Alan Nixon, the Tangerines matched the Blues’ offer for the 25-year-old.

That totally changed the picture over the move, with Michael Appleton now well placed to see the transfer to completion.

Accrington turned down a bid of £1.2m for Bishop last summer, with the player not agitating over the scenario.

That attitude means his current employer will let the former Notts County man decide the route forward for himself now, with a year remaining on his contract.

The hope for Pompey would have been the wealth of strikers already in place at Blackpool could work in their favour.

The likes of Jerry Yates, Gary Madine, Shayne Lavery, Beryly Lubula and the injured Jake Beesley are all already at the club.

Bishop would have arrived as a Cowley’s key front man, with the target of firing the club into the Championship.

The powerful front man had said goodbye to his team-mates after three years at the Crown Ground, with Fratton Park looking to be his destination.

But Blackpool’s late move muddied the waters, with it clear their second-tier status was a powerful weapon in their armoury in the chase for Bishop’s signature.

That’s set to leave Cowley going back to the drawing board for his next attacking addition, after landing Joe Pigott on loan from Ipswich last Friday.