Will Boyle may not be a target for Sheffield Wednesday anymore, but it seems as though Championship outfit Preston North End hold a keen interest in bringing the 25-year-old to Deepdale, per journalist Jon Palmer.
The Owls are only looking at free agents and loan players as part of their summer rebuild according to YorkshireLive, meaning that they would be priced out of signing Boyle, a player who they watched for Cheltenham multiple times last season but also has a year left on his current deal.
But it isn't putting off North End who apparently are still in the hunt for Boyle, who was linked with the Lilywhites along with a number of clubs last month.
PNE are looking for reinforcements at the back, with Liverpool loanee Sepp van den Berg heading back to Anfield although it's not out of the question that he returns next season, and Liam Lindsay could also re-join on a permanent deal but that is up in the air as well - the club have made moves though to try and bring them both back.
Boyle would fit into North End head coach Frankie McAvoy's preferred 3-5-2 system well, having played on the left side of a back three for Cheltenham under Michael Duff.
It remains to be seen whether or not they stump up the fee that Cheltenham would require for the centre-back - who scored six times in 29 League Two outings last season - but with just a year left on his contract the Robins risk losing Boyle for nothing next summer.
The Verdict
Providing that Cheltenham don't ask for a ridiculous fee, then Boyle might just be a smart pick-up for North End.
There will be some fans bemoaning that he played in League Two last season but it isn't like Boyle is a journeyman - he's only 25 years old which means he still has time to develop, and he's certainly already got some useful tools.
His six goals last season shows that he's a real aerial threat in the opposition box and that also rings true for his own area as well, and considering he'd cost a fraction of what Lindsay would from Stoke City then it wouldn't be a bad move for PNE to make.