Preston North End and Stoke City are both interested in signing George Hirst, a 27-year-old forward from Ipswich Town. For either club, a loan is considered more probable than a permanent transfer. It is understood that Ipswich's management will not prevent the Scottish international, who has 10 caps for his country, from leaving to get regular playing time, either on loan or permanently, because they expect to sign another striker. According to journalist Pete O'Rourke, Stoke is planning a loan move that includes an option to buy and is expected to make a formal approach in the near future. Hirst joined Ipswich in July 2023 and is under contract until 2029. His current market value is €10.00m, according to Transfermarkt.