Preston North End will demand a big fee for striker Jordan Hugill; something Championship rivals Aston Villa are unable to offer as things stand.
Preston North End have shown that they are willing to play hardball over the future of star striker Jordan Hugill.
The talismanic target man handed in a transfer request during the summer window to force through a move away from the club but the Lilywhites refused to sell. And Preston may need to stay strong again this month, with Hugill once more on the radar of a number of Championship clubs.
The Birmingham Mail point out that Aston Villa are one of a number of sides linked with a move for Hugill, but a deal seems all but impossible unless manager Steve Bruce can raise funds by selling a number of first-team players.
The Sun (October 15th, page 61), states that Preston value Hugill at around £12 million. And an Aston Villa side restricted heavily by Financial Fair Play have no chance of paying such a fee this month unless they can find buyers for a number of exit-linked players, such as Tommy Elphick and Birkir Bjarnason.
It appears that Bruce instead is looking at the loan market in order to secure a bargain buy, with the Telegraph stating that Leicester City’s Leonardo Ulloa is at the top of his list.
Villa are not the only Midlands giant who have been glancing across at Hugill in recent months. HITC sources told us back in July that Birmingham City had a bid rejected by Preston in the summer for a striker who scored 12 goals in the Championship last season.
And after netting another eight in 2017/18, Hugill is a man in demand once more. Although the prospect of him posing in claret and blue looks unlikely any time soon.
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