Crewe Alexandra have turned down bids from Town and Bristol City for young striker Nicky Maynard, according to a report this lunchtime. Earlier in the week the Blues were claimed to have made an offer of more than £1 million for the 21-year-old, a story which was reported to have been denied by the club.
Town were said to have made an enquiry regarding Maynard, but that Crewe's valuation of their player was higher than the Blues were willing to pay and that there had been no formal bid. Today's report claims the Alex want £2 million for the Winsford-born striker.
Maynard is strongly tipped to be the next star to roll off the famous Gresty Road production line with Fulham, Hull City, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Bolton, Sunderland and West Brom all having been linked with him over the summer in addition to the Blues and the Robins.
The frontman was in the Crewe youth side which reached the FA Youth Cup semi-finals in 2004 and a year later signed his first professional deal with the Alex. In 2006 Maynard spent time on loan with Unibond League side Witton Albion.
His good form for Witton and in Crewe's reserve side saw him make his full debut for the Railwaymen as a sub on the final day of the 2005/06 season.
Maynard became a regular for Crewe the following season, scoring 19 goals in 32 starts and six sub appearances. Last year, he continued to be a threat in front of goal, but the early part of his season was disrupted by a broken fibula and ankle ligament damage sustained in August against Brighton.
In April, the 5ft 11in tall striker netted his first senior hat-trick in a 3-1 home win over Cheltenham, ending the season having scored 15 goals in 25 starts and three sub appearances.
Maynard, whose father Dave was a well known non-league player, is contracted to Crewe until the summer of 2010, having signed a four-year deal in 2006.
Town increasingly appear to be targeting two strikers ahead of the new season with Greek star Angelos Charisteas and previous targets Shola Ameobi and Kyle Lafferty in the traditional big striker mould, while Maynard, Emile Mpenza and Kevin Phillips, who is set to choose between staying at West Brom or moving to Birmingham over the weekend, much smaller frontmen.
The addition of two new attackers is likely to mean a departure which is likely to trigger speculation regarding Alan Lee's future at Town.
Meanwhile, young Czech keeper Marek Stech has committed his future to West Ham by signing a new five-year deal, a move which could make Richard Wright's return to Portman Road more likely. The 18-year-old is highly rated at Upton Park and could replace Wright as Robert Green's deputy next season.
Further to the match report from earlier, Jim Magilton is understood to be at the Sir Bobby Robson Golf Classic in Portugal.