Transfer gossip: Preston North End join Blackburn Rovers in race for £700,000 Wrexham striker
PNE sit third in the Championship following Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over Oxford United.
PNE have been credited with an interest in Wrexham striker Ryan Hardie.
It’s been a strong start to the campaign at Deepdale, with Paul Heckingbottom’s men sitting third in the Championship.
Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over Oxford United keeps the Lilywhites within touching distance of the automatic promotion positions.
The victory continues North End’s impressive run of form, which has seen them pick up 35 points from their opening 21 matches.
Although a hectic festive period is at the centre of attention, the January transfer window is appearing on the horizon, with Heckingbottom admitting his side will be active.
PNE linked with Wrexham striker
Indeed, PNE have since been tipped with a move for Hardie next month, who has fallen out of favour at Wrexham.
Football League World have claimed the Lilywhites are one of three Championship sides keeping tabs over the 28-year-old ahead of the market’s opening.
The report states Hull City and Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers are also interested in the striker, who could be available for a surprise exit in January.
After an impressive five-and-a-half year stay with Plymouth Argyle, Hardie called time on his stay at Home Park in the summer, with the Red Dragons making a successful swoop.
The prolific goalscorer was the first of 12 new faces at the Racecourse Ground during the summer window, with Wrexham triggering his £700,000 release clause.
But following the big-money arrivals of Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore as well as the capture of Josh Windass, Hardie’s game time has been limited this term.
The Scotland international has started just twice for the Welsh outfit in the Championship this season, which has seen him fail to score in any of his six league outings.
The forward’s sole strike for the Red Dragons has come against PNE in the Carabao Cup during August’s second-round triumph.
Hardie still have two-and-a-half years remaining on his current deal with Phil Parkinson’s men but has now been tipped with an exit in January, with PNE, Blackburn and Hull all keeping tabs.
PNE’s current attacking options
The Lilywhites were busy strengthening their forward line during the summer, with Michael Smith arriving from Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer, while Daniel Jebbison and Lewis Dobbin penning season-long loan deals from Bournemouth and Everton respectively.
The trio joined Will Keane and Milutin Osmajic in Heckingbottom’s attacking department, although the pair have missed various points of the campaign.
“Yeah, listen, so long as you're going to use them,” said the PNE boss. “So long as they're going to have impact. For me it's crucial, it's critical. I think that's one of the big things we really tried to change - having ways of scoring goals.
“Too often last year - and I felt for the players - we were putting in performances which were easily on a par with this year. We had the same amount of control in games with the ball or, arguably more last year, without the ball.
“But we didn't come away with wins. I think the difference is we've been able to turn moments into chances, and then chances into goals this year, which is important. So, I'd always prioritise that, it's a big, big thing.”