Alfie Devine contract length, fee and transfer competition emerges after Preston North End trigger buy-option
The midfielder looks set to be on the move this summer
A permanent deal for Alfie Devine would cost Preston North End around £6million, according to football.london.
On the back of the Lancashire Post exclusively reporting that the Lilywhites had activated their buy-option for the midfielder, chief Tottenham Hotspur reporter Alasdair Gold has weighed in with extra detail.
It is reported that eight clubs have expressed an interest in signing Devine this summer, though Wolves and Celtic remain the only two named. It is suggested ‘a number of clubs at the top end of the Championship’ are keen.
Preston’s offer is thought to be the only one on the table at present, with the club wanting to pay the fee in installments. Football.London also report that Devine has 12 months left on his contract at Spurs - a club he has played twice for since joining six years ago.
The question now is whether North End can convince the 21-year-old to make the move this early in the summer, with personal terms agreed prior to his loan move. Journalist Alan Nixon reported that PNE had until the end of June to exercise their buy-option.
His signature would see the Deepdale club more than double its previous transfer record, which is in the region of £2.1million. Last season, Devine scored eight goals and assisted the same number across 48 appearances.
Speaking at the end of the season, manager Paul Heckingbottom said: “He's someone who can have big impact for a team. He gets the game, he's tactically good, he's bright. He might not talk to anyone until they talk to him about football; then he's engaged.
“He's willing to do the work without the ball. He's learning more about himself and he's managed himself, in games, to stay integrated - it can't just be when you're on the ball. So yeah, I think he's made big improvements and I think he'll improve again.”