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.

Photo: Reuters

Europablue added 14:56 - Aug 16 Nobbysnuts If KM rates him then, I say sign him up!
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algarvefan added 15:12 - Aug 16 I think we need someone towards the other end of their career,personally would have gone for McGoldrick, that type of player, he would have fitted our more intelligent style of play under KM. Don't know who's available currently but sure we will bring in someone before the window closes.
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oldelsworthyfan added 15:41 - Aug 16 Our signings seem to 'come out of the blue' and these players we are supposed to be ' targeting' don't come here. Mr Ashton is too astute to get caught up in all that stuff. Yes, we could do with a striker, but not a cast-off from the Premier League.
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 15:55 - Aug 16 I think that come Christmas we will be wondering why we felt we needed another 9. The players we have all improved under K McK and will continue to do so, goals will come from all over the pitch, we still need to be more effective from corners with headers, doesn't have to be a 9 9 doing that.
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gramps added 15:59 - Aug 16 This seems a bit like Leicester trying to keep him under contract for longer, then loan him out to cut down on their outgoings, and hope he does well this season so they can sell for a higher price next year. I would much prefer we sign someone on a permanent contract rather than a loan as that would give us 2 loan forwards.
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Dissboyitfc added 16:39 - Aug 16 I actually think differently to most on here, isn't it good that we are after a player that is sought after and may have many options, there could be loads of reasons why he hasn't signed for us, so why dismiss him if we don't know his choices or thinking? I would have him in a heartbeat
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hyperbrit added 16:44 - Aug 16 think of a striker who can draw the opposition's fire by man marking him while someone else scores.
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Bergholtblue added 17:01 - Aug 16 If I have read that article correctly, it is Portsmouth News that are reporting this. What do Leicester actually say? How reliable is the news from Pompey anyway? Are they just saying this because they couldn't afford him?
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clintviola added 17:16 - Aug 16 Think this all lines up nicely for Bonne to return, he's had odd minutes in games for QPR so not massively in their plans. He has the ability to score goals and hold the ball up, he is town through and through and will likely sign the contract before he's left the A12. Get him signed up.
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magnus68 added 17:35 - Aug 16 I watched Hirst's 15 goals from last year. He looks very strong and letal. Fingers crossed
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ringwoodblue added 17:43 - Aug 16 I would be very happy if Bonne returned and became a regular goalscorer for us but lovely though it sounds, I just don't think it will happen. Hirst won't happen either imho so let's hope we can get someone else good in under the radar.
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Gforce added 18:00 - Aug 16 Vydra is still available, as far as I know,he would definitely get goals at league 1 level.
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Ipswichbusiness added 18:23 - Aug 16 Look at this from Leicester's point of view. He is a talented player, but his contract is running down with only a year to go. Therefore sign him up on a new deal and loan him out to a Championship club; look how Flynn Downes' value went up after a year with Swansea. They have little to lose.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 18:51 - Aug 16 Nobbysnuts Brendan Rodgers clearly thinks he's got something about him to offer him a new contract as does McKenna so I'd rather listen to them than you.
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Eeyore added 01:18 - Aug 17 We have to get a proper striker. The evidence from the Burton game is that we currently don't have one. It's make-or- break time. Either we invest in a quality striker or we just hope for a play-off spot.
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Bazza8564 added 09:59 - Aug 18 Trust the process. KM and MA know what and who they want. And stop all this nonsense about Bonne PLEASE!
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