Wigan Athletic, Luton Town and Reading FC in transfer race for 15-goal star | OneFootball

The League One trio are targeting this Ross County striker.

Wigan Athletic, Luton Town and Reading are all believed to be chasing Ross County’s top scorer, Ronan Hale.

According to Pete O’Rourke, the League One trio are among several clubs who are interested in the striker, who has now netted 15 goals this season in all competitions.

The Northern Irishman has impressed throughout his first season with the Scottish top-flight outfit, and it is no surprise that there are now several English sides chasing his signature.

Hale has been a key figure for Ross County this season

After two prolific goalscoring seasons for Cliftonville in Northern Ireland, Hale has also shouldered the burden in front of goal for the Staggies this season.

He is the top scorer for Don Cowie’s side and has been a crucial figure for them throughout the campaign.

The 26-year-old recently netted a vital late penalty in Wednesday night’s draw with fellow strugglers Dundee, helping to secure a point which could be crucial in Ross County’s bid to prolong their six-year stay at the top table of Scottish football.

With the way that Hale has performed during the last few seasons, it is little surprise that English clubs have been credited with an interest in him in numerous transfer windows now.

Wigan, Luton and Reading are the latest trio linked with a move for the attacker, with the likes of Derby, Portsmouth, Wrexham, Peterborough and Bolton all believed to have been keen previously.

Luton could be facing a rebuild this summer following their relegation back into the third tier, while Reading are fresh from a new takeover and will have hopes for next term.

Ironically, Wigan were also linked with a move for the frontman last summer, and have subsequently desperately struggled for goals throughout this season.

Hale could be a shrewd signing

With a strong goalscoring record over the last few seasons, a move for Hale could prove to be a clever piece of business for any of the three sides who are currently linked with him.

The striker, who recently received his first Northern Ireland call-up, struck 32 goals in all competitions across two campaigns with Larne between 2020 and 2022, before those numbers earned him a move to Belfast giants, Cliftonville.

He then plundered 40 goals in all competitions during a two-year stint with the capital club, before his switch to Ross County came last summer.

At 26, Hale still has plenty of room for improvement, and with the trajectory that his career has been on in recent years, he could represent a shrewd investment for a third-tier side.

Strikers who have a natural ability to find the back of the net can be a rarity, and as a result, often come at a premium price, even in the lower reaches of the EFL.

However, where Hale is concerned, his career has been so obscure up to this point that it’s possible he could be available for a relatively small fee.