According to The Sun, Preston are looking to launch a bid for Charlton Athletic striker Macauley Bonne.
It’s claimed that North End want to open the bidding with a £500,000 offer plus add-ons, with a bid potentially going in next week.
Preston are believed to be eyeing Charlton’s financial situation in the hope of landing a cut-price deal for Bonne, with a belief that he is a diamond in the rough.
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Who is Macauley Bonne?
The 24-year-old had spells at hometown club Ipswich Town and then Norwich City, before emerging with Colchester United.
Bonne moved on to Leyton Orient in 2017, and became an absolute goal machine in the National League, smashing 45 goals in 90 games.
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Charlton pounced to sign Bonne for £200,000 last summer, and he impressed in his first Championship campaign, hitting 11 goals and two assists in 33 games.
Bonne may have been born in Ipswich, but has two caps for Zimbabwe to his name, qualifying through his parents.
Would Bonne make sense for Preston?
This is one rumour that does excite us. Bonne showed real promise in the Championship last term, and showed many attributes that North End should be seeking.
Bonne stands at around 6ft 1in tall, and showed that he is better in the air than many would think. Add in that he has the pace to run in behind, and Bonne could provide the all-round threat Preston are seeking.
With a season of Championship football under his belt at 24, Bonne fits the profile of what Preston need, though whether he would fancy a move up north is another matter given that most of his clubs so far have been in the south.
We wouldn’t class the source as a particularly reliable one, and the reports may have emerged from rumours on Twitter, but we certainly hope it’s true.