STAR defender Chris Lucketti is heading for the First Division . . . with Bury!

That's what the player reckons after turning down a move to Lancashire neighbours Preston North End.

The 25-year-old has become the Second Division's most wanted man culminating, as reported in Tuesday's Bury Times, in a near £400,000 bid from Deepdale boss Gary Peters.

Manchester City and Coventry City are just two of the other suitors keeping a close eye on Lucketti who has expressed his happiness to stay at Gigg Lane.

"I am as ambitious as the next man but any move has got to be the right one," he declared. "I am happy at Bury and we are doing so well that there is no reason why I cannot be playing First Division football here next season.

"It was flattering that Preston made the bid but at this stage it would have been a sideways move for me. We have something going here and it would be nice to think we can go all the way to another promotion.

"Bury really rescued my career when I was at Halifax and I owe a lot to the people here and the fans who have always been great," continued Lucketti.

"There has been talk of a move for sometime and if I believed everything I've read then only Man United and Liverpool haven't been watching me. I take all that kind of stuff with a pinch of salt. You cannot let it bother you or it will effect your form. Anyway we are so busy trying to do well here that there is no time to dream about what might happen.

"We have played all the top teams and we know we can win promotion and that's what I'm concentrating on. If a really big club comes in with an offer then Bury will have to consider it and so will I, but until that happens, we've another three points to win on Saturday against Plymouth."

Bury boss Stan Ternent said he was absolutely delighted that Lucketti was staying. The news came as a big boost after the FA Cup exit at Chesterfield and calmed fears that there would have to be a pruning of the playing staff.

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