Exclusive: Blackburn Rovers & Hull City line up deal for wantaway Wrexham AFC star | OneFootball

Championship duo Blackburn Rovers and Hull City are lining up deals for wantaway Wrexham AFC striker Ryan Hardie, Football League World has learned

Championship duo Blackburn Rovers and Hull City are both lining up approaches for Wrexham's Ryan Hardie amid the striker's stance on leaving the club in search of regular first-team opportunities in the January transfer window, sources have exclusively revealed to Football League World.

Hardie arrived at the STōK Cae Ras as Phil Parkinson's first signing of the summer after impressing for Plymouth Argyle despite the Pilgrims' relegation to League One alongside Luton Town and Cardiff City at the end of the previous campaign, in which he returned 10 strikes from 37 league appearances.

The 28-year-old, who ultimately scored 74 goals in just shy of 250 outings for the Devon-based outfit, put pen to paper on a three-year deal in North Wales after Wrexham shelled out a reported £700,000 fee for his services.

However, the subsequent arrivals of Kieffer Moore and Josh Windass have pushed Hardie some way down Parkinson's competitive pecking order, with the Scotsman sorely struggling for minutes in the opening months of his career with the Red Dragons.

Hardie has only started two of his five goalless Championship appearances to date, and has failed to add to the solitary strike scored in August's EFL Cup second-round victory away at Preston North End.

Towards the end of last month, Football League World exclusively revealed that Hardie himself is already weighing up the prospect of potentially departing Wrexham after growing frustrated with his lack of minutes under Parkinson, and we can now reveal two of the striker's suitors as we edge closer to the upcoming January window.

Blackburn Rovers and Hull City lining up transfer deals for Wrexham AFC's Ryan Hardie

FLW understands that two admirers of Hardie's signature have emerged in the form of Blackburn and Hull, with the second-tier pair eyeing moves for the frontman in preparation for next month's mid-season window.

Sources have disclosed that the two sides are bidding to bolster their respective attacking options following the turn of the year, prompting their interest in Hardie.

Hardie's own stance on joining either Blackburn or Hull remains to be seen, but considering the ex-Plymouth star's position regarding his lack of present involvement in North Wales, the opportunity to stay in the Championship while playing regular football elsewhere could perhaps offer some food for thought.

Blackburn find themselves down in 18th amid mixed form under Valerien Ismael, though Hardie would face competition for a striking berth at Ewood Park from the likes of Yuki Ohashi and impressive summer signing Andri Gudjohnsen, with the Icelandic forward having scored six goals in his last eight league appearances.

The financial purse-strings at Blackburn have been notoriously tight in recent times as a result of decreased expenditure under unpopular owners, the Venky's, which would likely force the East Lancashire outfit into considering a loan swoop.

Hull, meanwhile, are one place and two points above tenth-placed Wrexham and have defied the odds to emerge as potential contenders for a play-off finish after being widely-labeled as certainties for relegation ahead of the start of the season.

Under Bosnian boss Sergej Jakirovic, the Tigers have earned plaudits for an aggressive, front-footed attacking style, but are also intent on reinforcing their frontline to ease the burden on star striker Oli McBurnie, who is currently out injured.

Hull were, however, struck with a three-window transfer embargo by the EFL back in the summer, which leaves them restricted to free transfers or loan signings and means they will have to target a temporary switch for Hardie.

Wrexham AFC's Ryan Hardie would be a strong signing for Blackburn Rovers or Hull City

Hardie has, of course, been greatly unfortunate to struggle so profoundly for regular minutes since completing his move to Wrexham, with the aforementioned pair of Moore and Windass both hitting the ground running infront of goal this term.

It's little slight on the Scottish striker, though, and his solid goalscoring record at Championship level across recent times is evidence of what he can provide when licensed with consistent opportunities.

He accumulated double digits for league goals in consecutive Championship campaigns while leading the line for a side who only narrowly staved off relegation to League One in the 2023/24 season before ultimately returning to English football's third-tier last time out, and he has the sharp instincts to come in and help Ismael's outfit keep their heads above the water.

Hardie would perhaps receive even greater goalscoring opportunities at Hull, a side who like to put opponents on the back foot with swift transitions and take lots of shots at goal, although he would face stiffer competition in Jakirovic's side.

It's little surprise, mind you, that Blackburn and Hull are interested in offering Hardie an escape route from Wrexham, and one would only expect his list of suitors to grow the closer we get to January.