The chase for one of the second tier’s most in-demand players has just taken another twist.
Reading may have dropped out of the race to sign Brentford striker Scott Hogan, with GetReading reporting that The Royals are refusing to meet his £9 million valuation.
Hogan has been in inspired form for The Bees since returning from a cruciate ligament injury, his 13 goals in 2016/17 bettered only by Brighton’s Glenn Murray and Dwight Gayle of Newcastle United.
And while the aforementioned duo have the added advantage of two of the league’s most talented midfields supplying a steady stream of chances, the 24-year-old continues to score for fun in a mid-table Brentford side.
Consequently, the Birmingham Mail are suggesting that Aston Villa are interested in his services, although transfer rivals Reading appear unlikely to entertain such a fee.
Despite the impending Chinese takeover purporting to hand the Royals a wealth of riches in the market, GetReading claim that Jaap Stam’s side value the in-form striker at a much lower rate with one source describing his current asking price as a ‘joke’.
Villa will still have to fight off reported Premier League interest for one of the most complete strikers in the second tier, however, meaning a deal is no nearer its conclusion.
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