Leicester and Southampton to join Norwich, Middlesbrough, PNE and Sunderland in race for Premier League striker | OneFootball

After his eight-goal haul on loan at Preston North End last season, Everton striker Tom Cannon probably didn't expect to have this much interest going into the final day of the transfer window.

The 20-year-old is perhaps the most in-demand player when it comes to Championship club, and two more outfits have entered the race for his services.

What is the latest transfer news on Tom Cannon?

A lot can change in football in 24 hours, and there have been plenty of developments in that time.

Norwich City were reported by Sky Sports to have made a £7 million offer for the Toffees youngster, although this has been refuted by Alan Nixon, who says that the Canaries are only interested in a loan deal.

The biggest offer so far, per Nixon, has come from Middlesbrough, who are said to have put a £4 million bid on the table for Cannon.

However, local reports from The Northern Echo's Dominic Shaw suggest that a deal to take Cannon to the North East is very unlikely, which could leave other clubs in the clear.

Preston North End were said to have had another loan deal agreed with Everton weeks ago following his successful few months at Deepdale last season, but the Toffees have stalled for weeks whilst they get their own strikers through the door, and that has now created somewhat of a late auction.

North End now have little choice but to try and put their own package together for a full-time move, and Nixon has reported that the Lilywhites are in the works doing just that.

The multi-club scramble also sees both Stoke City and Swansea staying in contact with Everton regarding the attacker whilst Sunderland will make a move for Cannon, but only if Ross Stewart is sold to Southampton in the dying embers of the window.

That puts six Championship clubs in the picture for Cannon - but that looks set to be eight now.

According to reports from Football Insider, Championship newcomers Leicester City and Southampton have now both 'turned their attentions' to signing Cannon for their respective squads.

The Foxes are seeing both Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho linked with late moves away from the King Power Stadium, whilst Southampton could lose Che Adams - although they have already targeted the aforementioned Stewart of Sunderland.

They are both now 'exploring' the possibility of such a deal for the Everton man ahead of Friday's deadline, which further adds to the complications of the mass amount of second tier clubs that want to secure Cannon's services.

Who is the most likely to sign Tom Cannon?

At this point, it is pot luck as to who will land the Republic of Ireland youth international.

It's now likely that the club that offers the best deal to Everton will win the race for Cannon's services, with a loan deal surely now completely off the table for a club that are in need of fresh finances.

Leicester and Southampton seemingly joining the party though is bad news for the rest of the competitors as they have fresh parachute payments and money from selling star players this summer, so they can gazump the other interested clubs with their financial muscle.

Game-time wise, Cannon would probably be better off at a Preston North End, a Middlesbrough or a Swansea, but when the likes of Leicester and Southampton come calling with their money, it will probably be hard to turn down.