[goldenHuddlestone]

Preston are facing late competition from Sheffield Wednesday in their bid to land striker Darius Henderson.
The Evening Post understands the Watford forward is the player Preston North End had a £1.3m offer accepted for before they flew out to their training camp in the United States.

He has held talks with PNE and is currently thinking over personal terms, leaving Paul Simpson hoping for an answer by the time the squad return from America early next week.

Simpson revealed earlier in the week that a bid had been accepted for one of his transfer targets, but he kept the player's identity and his club under wraps.

He added PNE had put 'an excellent offer on the table' for the player and hoped the deal would tempt him to Deepdale.

Wednesday manager Brian Laws has now publicly admitted having an interest in Henderson, although is not thought to have put in an official bid yet.

Laws said: "I can confirm that Darius is a player I've asked about.
"I've talked to their manager and I'm aware there is a bid from another club."

Henderson is with the Watford squad on a pre-season training camp in Germany at the moment.

But he hasn't featured in any of the Hornets' three friendlies to date – he was an unused substitute in their 3-0 win over Czech side Ceske Budejovice last night.

The 25-year-old scored 15 goals to help Watford win promotion to the Premier League two seasons ago, netting on his debut in a 2-1 defeat to North End.

He wasn't as prolific in the top flight last term, scoring just three times, but was still a regular choice in the Hornets attack.

Watford are content to cash in on him now as they rebuild after relegation back to the Championship.

Simpson has expressed his desire all summer to bring in a targetman to give his forward line another option.

And he'll now be hoping Doncaster-born Henderson opts for Deepdale instead of a move home to Yorkshire.