Preston North End manager Simon Grayson says he is keeping a close eye on Cork City's Seán Maguire and hopes that the Irish presence at Deepdale could help push a deal through for the in-form striker.
Maguire has hit eight goals in 10 Airtricity League appearances for table-topping City, and Grayson was at Richmond Park last Friday to watch the striker continue his hot streak in their 3-0 away win at Richmond Park.
It is reported that Maguire has a €150,000 buyout clause in his contract and he is one of a number of players the Championship club are monitoring.
With Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle settling in well since their January switches to the second tier of English football, Grayson has returned to Ireland as he looks to bolster his squad in the summer.
Maguire spent two seasons at West Ham and a loan spell at Accrington Stanley, but is back on the radar for a number of cross-channel clubs following his exploits in front of goal.
"It is pretty public knowledge that I went to Dublin at the weekend with Peter Ridsdale (club advisor)," he told the Lancashire Evening Post.
"He is a decent player, his goals tally will tell you that.
"Time will tell if we decide to pursue it anymore."
"Sometimes players come to England, it doesn’t work out, they go back to Ireland but then it suddenly clicks.
"The fact we have Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle shows we are not frightened to go to that level. We watch players many times before making decisions and I’d not had the chance to see Maguire before."
"Time will tell if we decide to pursue it anymore."
Central defender Boyle has made six Championship starts since making his debut last month, while Horgan has made 17 appearances since making his bow in the FA Cup defeat to Arsenal in January.
"If we were looking to bring Maguire in or any other player from the Irish League, they will see it as an opportunity to play and that the other lads would help them settle in."
Both have made their international debuts since departing Dundalk and Grayson believes their rapid progress will encourage any Irish player to consider a move to Deepdale.
"The Irish contingent would be a selling point," he said.
"If we were looking to bring Maguire in or any other player from the Irish League, they will see it as an opportunity to play and that the other lads would help them settle in."
