Bees holding out for Hogan’s full valuation

BRENTFORD boss Dean Smith insists striker Scott Hogan will remain at Griffin Park unless his transfer valuation is met.

Rochdale will receive a significant windfall from the sale of Hogan as part of the sell-on clause and the 24-year-old is attracting a lot of attention having scored 14 goals in 25 league appearances for the Championship side this season.

West Ham United have had several bids turned away and the Bees are holding out for their valuation of the player, believed to be in the region of £15m.

“There have been offers from clubs for him but we said all along he has a value to us,” Smith said.

“We want to keep him at the club if we can, unless the valuation is met by any clubs looking at him.”

Hogan has scored 21 goals in 35 appearances since joining the Bees in the summer of 2014, having suffered a serious knee injury which kept him sidelined for 19 months soon after his arrival from Rochdale.

Hogan missed Brentford’s recent FA Cup win over non-league Eastleigh with a glute problem but Smith named him on the bench for the weekend’s game against promotionchasing Newcastle.

Hogan did not feature in the game, however.

With Hogan contributing more than 40 per cent of Brentford’s 32 league goals this season, Smith says he would have to bolster his front line if the striker leaves the west London club.

“We have been looking, just in case anything did happen,” said the Bees manager.

“We have a number of different options but the January window is a funny time and it becomes very difficult.

“There are options we will pursue if anything happens.”