Sunderland manager Simon Grayson reportedly wants to sign his former Preston North End striker Jordan Hugill but so do Birmingham City.
When Simon Grayson was unveiled as the new manager of Sunderland last week, it was inevitable that Preston North End’s best and brightest would suddenly be tipped to follow their former boss to Wearside.
Inevitably, Aiden McGeady, the maverick talisman whose eye for the spectacular helped The Lilywhites flirt with the play-offs before eventually finishing 11th last season, has been linked with a move to the Stadium of Light this summer, via The Chronicle.
And it is little surprise that the report adds that Jordan Hugill could join McGeady in donning white and red in the next few weeks. The strapping front man was Preston’s top scorer in the Championship last season, scoring 12 times, and it is fair to say Sunderland need a goal-scorer.
Preston North End’s Jordan Hugill was crucial to their success last season
Jermain Defoe’s emotional return to Bournemouth is done and dusted while Victor Anichebe and Fabio Borini also bid farewell following their abject relegation from the Premier League.
Hugg it out
And The Mirror also add that Sunderland would face substantial competition for Hugill’s signature. The striker, who knows the North East well having grown up in Middlesbrough, is a target for Harry Redknapp’s Birmingham City.
After surviving on the final day of last season, the Blues are expected to kick on under the veteran coach, who guided QPR to the Premier League in his last spell in the second tier.
Birmingham completed the impressive signing of Barnsley captain Marc Roberts over the weekend and the report claims that they will offer a further £3.5 million to strengthen their side at the other end with the addition of Hugill.
Whether cash-strapped Sunderland will be prepared to meet their offer remains to be seen.
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