Bristol City are contemplating a second bid for League One hot-shot Dom Ballard after seeing their opening £2.5 million offer for the Leyton Orient star rejected.
The 21-year-old is regarded as one of the hottest properties in the EFL with a plethora of clubs from the Championship having been keeping close watch on his availability this summer.
Bristol City made the first move with an offer of around £2.5 million, although that was quickly dismissed by the Londoners who value the striker at far in excess of that figure.
According to EFL transfer guru Pete O'Rourke, the Robins are now deciding whether to follow-up their initial bid with a second in the coming days.
Ballard enjoyed a superb debut season at Brisbane Road, bagging 23 goals in 40 League One appearances for the O's.
His goalscoring form caught the attention of the likes of West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, both of whom could still launch bids for the attacker despite Bristol City making the first move.
It was previously reported that Orient could demand upwards of £10 million for Ballard, citing the similarities between their player and Jay Stansfield, who sealed a move to Birmingham City for £15 million at a similar stage of his career.
But it's understood there is room for negotiation on a player that the third-tier club signed for under £1 million from Southampton 12 months ago.
Bristol City boss Michael Skubala has been active in the summer transfer window since being appointed as Roy Hodgson's successor, securing deals for goalkeeper Sam Tickle, midfielder Gibson Yah and forward Sam Greenwood.
However, a striker still sits at the top of his wish list, with Ballard appearing to be their top target.
