Most players toiling away in the Championship would presumably be quite happy to be linked in the press to the Premier League champions - but Brentford's Scott Hogan isn't most players.
Hogan, who is Irish-qualified thanks to the grandparents rule, returned from an 18-month spell on the sidelines towards the end of last season to bag seven goals in seven games for the Bees and, with Ireland not particularly blesses with frontmen at the moment, this led to some significant interest in him from Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane.
Hogan really does look like the real deal and, according to reports in the press, Leicester City are looking to bolster their attacking options by securing Hogan's signature ahead of the new season but the player himself has distanced himself from these rumours.
There are three things true on the papers and that's the title, date and price. I've made seven appearances. It's just stupid. I'm a Brentford player. It's stupid to consider any rumours.
Until you see from the club that something has happened, it's stupid. We want to focus on playing football and getting to the Premier League. It doesn't affect me and I've not given it a second thought.
Hogan suffered two successive cruciate ligament injuries which robbed him of 18 months of his career and he says that he intends to make up for lost time when he leads Brentford's line in their push for promotion this season.
The more time I spend on the pitch, the more I'll repay the club. I have no issues whatsoever with repaying the club. They put me on the pitch, I'll repay them. I think the club know that now – I've proved it. I'll continue to prove it and want to do it over the season. I want to score 30+ goals – that's what I want to do. I think I had 12 chances against Peterborough.
In a game, it's different and my mindset is different. The more I'm on the pitch, the more I'll repay them.
