Preston North End remain keen on striking a deal for Bermudan striker Nahki Wells from their Championship rivals Bristol City - but they do not want to pay a transfer fee for his services, the Bristol Post have reported.

The 32-year-old is into the final year of his contract at the Robins, having joined the club in January 2020 from North End's Lancashire enemies Burnley.

Wells hasn't had the most prolific of times at Ashton Gate however compared to spells at other clubs, scoring 19 times in 100 outings in all competitions for the club.

 

 

Three of those came during the 2021-22 Championship season in 32 appearances, with the majority of the forward's appearances coming from the bench under Nigel Pearson's management.

Pearson is said to be happy to keep Wells at the club, but there is the belief that North End could offer him more first-team football as they seek new forward options, with Cameron Archer having returned to Aston Villa following his successful loan move.

If a deal does occur though, then PNE will not be paying a penny in terms of a transfer fee - and neither will Swansea City or Wells' former club Queens Park Rangers, both of whom are also reported to be interested, according to the Bristol Post.

The Verdict

When Antoine Semenyo recovers from his injury, the chances of Wells getting minutes at Bristol City are very slim indeed.

Now at the age of 31, if he is given a regular run of games, then Wells could potentially find his shooting boots again - after all, it was only three seasons ago when he netted 13 times for QPR in 26 appearances before heading to City.

Wells will feel like he still has something to offer in the second tier, and it's clear that several clubs at that level feel the same way.

Clearly though, PNE and the Robins will have to come to a compromise if the Bermuda international is to head to Deepdale.