Major Richard Kone decision made - Swansea, Preston North End and Leicester City may be on alert | OneFootball

The striker has been a serious target for a number of second tier clubs this summer.

Wycombe Wanderers have lowered their asking price for star striker Richard Kone, with a bid from a top-end Championship club expected soon.

After his breakout season in League One last time out, 22-year-old Kone was always going to be the subject of heavy transfer interest from the Championship. His first full season in the EFL saw him score 18 goals in 41 appearances for the Chairboys, who made the play-offs but failed to capitalise on their promotion hopes.

This failure to return to the second tier under Mike Dodds added extra Kone-related transfer pressure on the club, who were already likely to consider bids for the Ivorian because he was heading into the final year of his deal.

Wycombe set to slash Richard Kone price tag

A number of teams in the Championship had been linked with the centre-forward, but none of the bids had met the £5 million asking price that Wanderers had set. Sky Sports' Ron Walker has now reported that Wycombe are lowering their valuation of their star striker to £3 million plus add-ons.

Preston North End offered £3 million for Kone prior to this price-slashing news, according to the BBC, while Swansea City were said to have made a bid of £4.5 million. Football League World revealed that this offer had been turned down by the League One side.

In light of this potential 40 per cent discount, a promotion-hopeful from the second tier is expected to come back in with an offer for Kone, as per Walker. He was left out of Wycombe's squad for their opening day loss to Bradford City due to the uncertainty of his future at the club.

Championship teams must pick up the phone ASAP to seal Richard Kone cut-price deal

Under Matt Bloomfield, before he was poached away from Adams Park by Luton, Kone was an unstoppable force in League One. His physicality and finishing ability created problems for defences in the manager's attacking system. Dodds' ways limited what Kone could produce for Wycombe, but get him in the right squad and he will find the back of the net.

For teams like Preston, Swansea and Leicester City, who were also said to be interested in the 22-year-old - teams that are all searching for a new number nine - this news coming out of Wycombe surely has to kick them into transfer action.

It's unlikely, given the timing of Wanderers' decision, that any team would be able to complete a deal for Kone in time for their opening game of the season, if it is to be a Championship club that signs him, but that should by no means put off any side from going after what could be a star in the making.