Report: Preston North End-linked striker set for £3m-plus transfer to Championship rivals as 'fee agreed'

Preston North End-linked striker Richard Kone finally looks set to leave Wycombe Wanderers this summer.

However, it appears the 22-year-old Ivorian won’t be swapping Adams Park for Deepdale.

Instead, Championship rivals QPR look set to win the race for the in-demand forward, who has also had the likes of Swansea, Leicester and French top-flight Toulouse monitoring his situation.

Indeed, transfer guru Pete O’Rourke has claimed the R’s - who sold Charlie Kelman to Charlton for £3.5m prior to the new season starting - have agreed a fee with the Chairboys to take him to Loftus Road.

No figure has been included in the report, although last week it was claimed the League One side had dropped their asking price for the forward who bagged 18 league goals as Wycombe finished fifth and missed out on promotion via the play-offs.

Despite suggestions that Wanderers were seeking £5m for Kone, Sky Sports claimed that figure had decreased to £3.5m up front with additional add-ons as the striker entered the final 12 months of his contract.

Some reports claimed PNE had a £3m offered rejected for Kone as they continue to look for ways to bolster their firepower for the 2025-26 season.

Preston North End remains keen on additional firepower

That need for extra attacking reinforcements was highlighted during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at QPR, with manager Paul Heckingbottom unable to call upon ony strikers from his bench in order to secure a win.

Summer signing Michael Smith and goalscorer Milutin Osmajic led the line for Lilywhites in the capital, but with both Daniel Jebbison - another summer signing - and Will Keane currently out through injury, North End had no like-for-like replacements to freshen up their attack.

On Sunday, it was reported that in order to bolster their firepower, the Lilywhites are currently weighing up a move for Gent forward Andri Gudjohnsen

The son of former Chelsea and Barcelona attacker Eidur, the 23-year-old Iceland international scored five goals for Gent in last season’s Belgian top flight.

A £2.5m move has been suggested for a player who has three years remaining on his current contract.

In addition, MLS and United States Men’s National Team expert, Tom Bogert, has today claimed that PNE are one of two Championship sides keen on Minnesota United striker Tani Oluwaseyi.

Swansea are believed to be the other side keen. However, Bogert also reports that an unnamed top-half La Liga side have had a $4m offer rejected for the Canada international.

Oluwaseyi has scored 10 goals and registered eight assists for Minnesota this season.

For your next Preston North End read: 'I'm trying to be honest' - Paul Heckingbottom's rallying cry amid transfer state of play