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Nigel Adkins insists Hull City have no plans to cash in on Jarrod Bowen this summer amid interest from Premier League club Everton.

Bowen was part of a City squad that returned for pre-season training yesterday aiming to build on a breakthrough campaign that yielded 15 goals.

That prolific form announced the 21-year-old as a rising star in the Championship and last week brought reports of a potential £12m bid from the Toffees.

City are yet to field any firm offers for Bowen as they try to build for a new campaign beginning in six weeks but Adkins says none would be welcomed.

“There’s not been any bids,” said City’s head coach. “He scored some goals last season so we’ll have to wait and see (if there’s interest) but we’re not looking to sell him.

(Image: Hull City)

“We want to be building a team. We’ve got an XI that, on their day, can be a good team in the Championship and Jarrod is a part of that. We don’t want to be losing him.

“He’s a player that we want to keep. He’s under contract and he was happy to sign that last season. He started playing games and was rewarded with a new deal.

“The fact of the matter is that we need to bring players in. They’ve got to be the right characters but we need to bring players in. That’s what I’d like to think we’ll be doing.”

Bowen took the Championship by storm last term, finishing up as City’s top scorer in a campaign that saw him play predominantly on the right flank.

The January window brought reports of interest from Everton, Newcastle, Brighton and Burnley, while the Toffees are again said to be tracking Bowen with former boss Marco Silva at the helm.

Should a £12m bid materialise, as reported by one national newspaper last week, City’s resolve could yet be tested.

Although sources have suggested that the Tigers would not listen to any offers below the £20m mark, banking an eight-figure sum could transform the club’s spending power in this summer’s transfer market.

Adkins is working to a reduced budget as he attempts to build a team he expects to be competitive in the Championship and has so far been limited to the addition of Nottingham Forest defender Eric Lichaj.

“We’ve got a budget, one that I believe is competitive for the Championship,” he said.

“It’s not a top budget but it’s not a bottom budget. You've got to understand these are the finances and how can we get the best group of players we can within those finances.

“Every club in the Championship will probably start out thinking they want to get to the Premier League. It’s going to be tough so we’ve got to keep our house in order and keep a collective spirit.”