Portsmouth transfer news: Danny Cowley refuses to rule out another move for Leicester striker George Hirst - despite Colby Bishop and Joe Pigott arrivals and strong interest from Championship and Ipswich

Danny Cowley is adamant the signings of strike duo Colby Bishop and Joe Pigott hasn’t ended his interest in George Hirst.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

But he conceded a lot of things would have to go his way for the forward to return to Fratton Park this season.

The Pompey boss has made no secret of his desire to have the 23-year-old Leicester front man back at PO4, following an impressive loan spell last term that produced 15 goals – 13 of which came between January and the end of the campaign.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Such form saw Hirst’s stock rise, though, with Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers keen to give the former Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday man the chance to impress in pre-season.

Championship clubs have also been circulating, while Ipswich have already had a bid rejected by the Premier League outfit.

Those factors – plus the arrivals of forward pairing Bishop and Pigott at Fratton Park – haven’t put Cowley off, however.

He knows his relationship with the player, the impression both the club and its supporters made last season, and his good relationship with Leicester puts him in a good position.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But there’s also a degree of realism in the manager’s approach to his pursuit of Hirst.

Former Pompey loanee George HirstFormer Pompey loanee George Hirst
Former Pompey loanee George Hirst

And he admitted Pompey’s hopes rest solely with Leicester as they weigh up what to do with the front man, with a permanent move out of the question.

When asked by The News whether the signings of Bishop and Pigott ended his interest in Hirst, Cowley replied: ‘No, it doesn’t rule it out at all.

‘But, realistically, there’s a lot of interest in George.

‘It wouldn’t be achievable for us permanently so it would only be achievable if it were to be a loan.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘If it was a loan and it was to come back to League One, then it’s Portsmouth, 100 per cent.

‘He loved Portsmouth and his time here and had a real connection with the supporters.

‘If it’s a Championship loan, and there’s Championship clubs wanting him on loan, then I would imagine Leicester would have a big say in that.’

Hirst is yet to feature for Leicester since returning to the King Power Stadium.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite training with the Foxes first-team upon their return to pre-season training, a reported injury prevented him from travelling with Leicester to a training camp in the French Alps.

Meanwhile, Hirst took no part in the Premier League side’s latest friendlies against Preston and Derby respectively on Saturday.

The News understands that if Leicester were to sell the striker this summer, a fee in the region of £2m would be sought.

Cowley wants to add another striker to his current pool of front men and would like that arrival to be one of four further new faces before the close of transfer activity on September 1.