Alex Neil reveals Preston rejected Jordan Hugill bid after victory over Forest - 7M sport

Alex Neil reveals Preston rejected Jordan Hugill bid after victory over Forest



Posted Wednesday, January 31, 2018 by PA

Alex Neil reveals Preston rejected Jordan Hugill bid after victory over Forest

Alex Neil revealed Preston had turned down a bid for Jordan Hugill after the club’s top scorer watched their 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest from the stands.

Hugill has been linked with Premier League side Crystal Palace ahead of Wednesday’s transfer deadline and was left out of the matchday squad, with a club statement on Twitter reading: “We can confirm Jordan Hugill was available for selection this evening, but given recent speculation regarding his future the manager decided a team fully focused on the game was what would be needed for the match.”

However, Billy Bodin’s first goal for the club since arriving from Bristol Rovers and second-half efforts from Tom Barkhuizen and Daniel Johnson meant the 25-year-old was not missed at the City Ground as Preston moved to within three points of the Sky Bet Championship play-off places.

“There is interest from a team in the Premier League,” Neil said when asked about the striker’s future.

“As of now we’ve rejected any offer that’s been made, but as I said didn’t think Jordan was in the right frame of mind so I withdrew him from the squad.

“Obviously when you’ve got Premier League teams courting you, but you’ve also got a desire to leave, he said in the last window that if the opportunity arose he would go and play his football elsewhere.

“But that will be on our terms and I’ve got no intention of selling him. We’ve got no intention of selling him – a team’s come in with an offer and we’ve rejected an offer.

“Jordan came to the game, I had a chat with him this afternoon, I said ‘I’m removing you from the team because I think at this moment in time your mind is not going to be on the game as much as we need it to be to go out and win it’.”

Michael Mancienne’s error 10 minutes before half-time allowed Preston to open the scoring against the run of play. The former Wolves defender dallied on the ball, allowing Callum Robinson to steal it off him and send Bodin clean through to slot home.

Forest lost their way after conceding and North End fully deserved to double their advantage on the hour-mark, when the unmarked Barkhuizen headed in Paul Gallagher’s corner.

Mancienne compounded a miserable evening for the hosts when he needlessly bundled Bodin over in the box seven minutes from time, and substitute Johnson fired home a third.

“We’ve won the game, played really well,” added Neil. “We’ve scored three and we could have had more.”

Forest, meanwhile, followed a tepid FA Cup exit at Hull with another uninspiring display – they failed to have a meaningful effort on goal in the second half – and manager Aitor Karanka offered a withering assessment of his squad.

“Really, really poor game,” he said. “I feel embarrassed. One of the worst games we’ve played in my career as a coach.

“I want to apologise to the crowd and thank everyone who stayed until the end because if I was one of them, I don’t know if I would have done.

Asked if he would add to his squad tomorrow, Karanka replied: “Yes, especially after the game today.

“I gave them the opportunity, so I didn’t want to bring in players because I trusted this group – they beat Arsenal and Wolves.

“But the last few games they told me to strengthen the squad, especially with players who want to play here.”

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