STAR striker Jon Macken is set to quit for Manchester City after North End accepted a £5million bid for him.

Deepdale bosses confirmed they had accepted the bid late yesterday afternoon - just hours after acting chairman Derek Shaw had denied that any approach had been made.

But yesterday afternoon, the club confessed it was in fact the THIRD attempt by City to get the former Manchester United youngster.

Macken, who has had a poor season by his standards, was due at Maine Road today to agree personal terms.

Boss David Moyes said: "I am disappointed at the loss of Jon Macken to Manchester City but in receiving an offer of £5 million I consider that is a fair price.

"The timing of this is not good but sometimes this happens in football."

The deal ends months of uncertainty over Macken, who slapped in a transfer request last September when Wolves offered £4million for him.

Angered by the public nature of the request, Moyes took the unusual step of condemning Macken's agent and then demanded £5million for his star.

Wolves backed off went for Blackburn's Nathan blake instead.

Macken agreed to come off the transfer list earlier this year.

Moyes added: "After the situation in the summer when we refused £4.5 million for Jon I did not feel that turning down £5 million would be a good decision for the club or the player.

"We had an obligation to let the player know about such an offer and theopportunity for to be almost certainly be playing in the Premiership next year would have been a hard one for me to deny him."

Yesterday morning, Derek Shaw denied that talks had taken place over the weekend. Kevin Keegan, City's boss had been at Deepdale on Saturday.

But a club statement contradicted Shaw, saying that "the Board of Preston North End can confirm that they have reluctantly accepted a bid from Manchester City for striker Jonathan Macken."

It went on: "Following lengthy negotiations over the weekend, and after rejecting two earlier bids from City, the Board have agreed to City's latest bid amounting to £5 million."

It is a record sale for North End - the previous highester being £1.2million for Kevin Kilbane to West Brom.

The deal represents cracking value for the club, who snapped him up for £250,000 from Manchester United in 1997.

Since then, he has grown with the club, bagging 25 goals in the 1999/2000 season and then 22 last season.

His growth as a player has helped cement David Moyes' reputation as a manager who can bring players on and spot talent a mile off.

But he has struggled to find form this season, with only 10 goals this season. He has found it hard to compete for a place with Richard Cresswell and David Healy both after the striking roles.

Today Mr Shaw was saying little. In a statement issued through North End, he said: Acting Chairman Derek Shaw said: "After a great deal of discussion between the Board and David Moyes we were of one mind - that the bid from Manchester City should be accepted."

Chief Executive Tony Scholes said: "We have accepted the bid, albeit with reservations. The timing is not good for us, but this was out of our hands.

"We had an understanding with Jon that we would inform him if we received a significant bid for him.

"He has been made aware of City's bid and the fact that it matches our valuation of him. Jon is on his way to Manchester this afternoon to discuss personal terms."

The £4million North End will get - £1million goes to Manchester United -will be used for squad strengthening.