City plotting Jones raid

City boss Keith Millen could be set to step up his move for Preston full-back Billy Jones, once the season ends on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Lilywhites captain was high on City's list of January transfer targets, only to see a £500,000 move collapse due to Preston's unsuccessful battle against the drop.

But with North End's relegation now confirmed, Jones hopes his career will kick on again over the summer and is targeting a swift return to the Championship as a bare minimum.

"I feel as though I have to move on, improve personally as a player and hopefully get a crack at the Premier League," Jones told Preston's official website.

"I think I have proven myself in the Championship, but it is whether [Premiership] teams are going to give me a chance. The plan is to try and get there if I can but if not then maybe a top Championship team which could get promoted to the top flight."

Jones is believed to be Millen's number one transfer target this summer, as he looks to bolster a defence which has been decimated by injuries at times this season.

"We've identified Billy Jones as a really good full-back who could do a job for us over a long period of time," Millen told the Bristol Evening Post back in January.

"We made what we thought was a very good offer for a player who is out of contract in the summer, but he'll be available on a free in the summer and we'll have to see how that one goes."

City are likely to face stiff competition for the former Crewe player with Everton, Ipswich and Derby all reportedly interested.

Meanwhile, on-loan defender Jordan Spence has been recalled by West Ham United and will miss City's final game of the season against Hull on Saturday (12:45pm).

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