The player has been on loan from Tottenham in the English Championship.
An English Championship side have reportedly made their move to sign a Tottenham player wanted by Celtic and Wolves.
Hoops boss Martin O’Neill made a trip recently to watch Preston North End take on QPR in a draw at English Championship level. Reports since have claimed attacking midfielder Alfie Devine was one on his radar after joining the Deepdale side on loan from Tottenham last summer. Still only 21, Devine broke through at Spurs as a teenager, but has had several loans.
Those include stints with Port Vale, Plymouth Argyle, Wigan Athletic, Westerlo and now Preston. The Lancashire Post have stated that Paul Heckingbottom’s side have triggered an option to sign him permanently and that it will now come down to transfer talks with the player. He netted eight goals with eights assists in a successful stint in the English second tier with Wolves said to be one of the other English sides tracking him.
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Alfie Devine future latest
It’s stated: “Preston North End have activated their option-to-buy Alfie Devine and now face crunch talks with the player, the Lancashire Post understands. PNE inserted a buy-option in the loan agreement with Spurs, and personal terms were said to have been pre-agreed.
“The fee is thought to be in excess of £5million. North End plan to spread their payments but it would still see the club more than double its transfer record. However, Devine still has the final say on any move this summer and while discussions are scheduled for next week, he is under no pressure to rush into a decision. Relegated Wolves have been credited with interest in the 21-year-old - as have Scottish Premiership champions, Celtic. Devine is believed to have more suitors - including others in the second tier - but no offers on the table at this stage.”
Heckingbottom said of his Tottenham loanee earlier this month: “He's someone who can have big impact to a team. He gets the game, he's tactically good, he's bright. He might not talk to anyone until they talk to him about football; then he's engaged.
What has Alfie Devine said about his future?
“He's a football fan, he understands it... from a coach's point of view it's good. He's willing to do the work without the ball. He's learning more about himself and he's managed himself, in games, to stay integrated - it can't just be when you're on the ball. So yeah, I think he's made big improvements and I think he'll improve again.”
Speaking towards the end of the season, Devine said of what comes next: “What next season will look like, I can't really tell you. But, I know that I'll be pushing for the thing that probably will be the best for me and what I want for myself, not what other people will want for me.
“There's obviously the buy option in the loan and stuff. It's hard to say whether that'll happen or that won't happen, because in football things change so fast. I'll be sure to pick something that's right for me and if that takes time, then it takes time.”
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