Town and Portsmouth are reported to be showing interest in Preston North End’s transfer-listed midfielder Tom Bayliss.
Bayliss, 23, joined the Lilywhites from Coventry for a reported £2 million in August 2019, signing a four-year deal.
However, the Leicester-born schemer had made only nine starts - just two in the league - and 12 sub appearances, scoring once, by last summer and was sent out on loan to Wigan for the season.
But, as the Latics carried off the League One title, Bayliss made only 14 starts - six in the league - two sub appearances.
The twice-capped former England U19 international is not in Preston manager Ryan Lowe’s plans at Deepdale ahead of 2022/23 and, according to the Daily Mirror’s Darren Witcoop, the Blues and Pompey are both weighing-up a move.
Bayliss, who plays as a deeper-lying central midfielder, made an impressive start to his career at Coventry, making 69 starts and 18 sub appearances, scoring nine times, and was part of the side which won promotion from League Two via the play-offs in 2017/18.
Town are in the market for a midfielder of Bayliss’s profile, Tyreeq Bakinson having come in in that role on loan from Bristol City during the second half of last season.
Bakinson remains available with the 23-year-old not in manager Nigel Pearson’s plans at Ashton Gate.
According to the Portsmouth News, Pompey manager Danny Cowley is a fan of Bayliss having been linked with him last summer and will be looking to add to his midfield options this summer.