Preston North End deny being in talks with West Ham over a deal for Jordan Hugill

Jordan Hugill playing for Preston against Barnsley in December 2017

Preston North End say they are not in talks with West Ham United over a Deepdale return for Jordan Hugill.

Reports surfaced on Monday afternoon that PNE and the Hammers have been in negotiations about a summer deal for the striker.

However, such reports are believed to be wide of the mark.

North End sold Hugill to the Hammers in January 2018 for a fee of £9.5m - a club record sale - his former club Port Vale getting a slice of that through a sell-on clause.

Jordan Hugill is shadowed by PNE midfielder Daniel Johnson when playing for Middlesbrough in March

He only played 22 minutes of first-team football for the Premier League side in three brief substitute appearances.

Hugill, 27, spent last season on loan at home-town club Middlesbrough.

Now back at West Ham, he has not gone on the Hammers' pre-season tour of China.

Wigan Athletic have shown an interest in signing Hugill, with reports that a £3m deal for him has fallen through.