Town target George Hirst is reportedly set to sign a new deal with current club Leicester City before being sent out on loan to a Championship club.
TWTD revealed in May that striker Hirst was being targeted by the Blues with discussions between the clubs having been ongoing throughout the summer.
Portsmouth were keen to take the 23-year-old on another loan, Hirst having spent 2021/22 at Fratton Park, while Championship sides believed to include Blackpool and Blackburn are also understood to be keen.
Now, the Portsmouth News is reporting that Hirst, who has a year left on his current deal, is to sign a new contract with the Foxes with the plan then that he is loaned to a Championship side for 2022/23.
Reports elsewhere over the last couple of days have also indicated that Hirst is set to be offered a new deal.
However, TWTD understands Town remain interested in signing the former England U17s, U18s and U19s international on a permanent basis, but with other strikers also on their list of potential recruits prior to the September 1st deadline.
Hirst, the son of former Sheffield Wednesday and England frontman David, started his career with the Owls before joining Belgian second division side OH Leuven in June 2018, then a year later moved on to Leicester.
Since signing for the Foxes the 6ft 3in tall frontman, who played alongside Andre Dozzell, Flynn Downes, Tristan Nydam and Nick Hayes with the Young Lions, has made only two sub appearances, spending time on loan at Rotherham in 2020/21, failing to score in four starts and 28 appearances from the bench, before last season’s spell at Pompey in which he netted 15 times, all after the start of November.