Beckford turned down the chance to join Newcastle in the January transfer window, and now we hear Mike Ashley has put a block on all spending this summer.
Simon Grayson (talking to The Sun): "He is a hero with that goal. No one wants him to leave.
"Jermaine is out of contract and has been sat on the bench for the last four games - but I made him captain for this one. And the lad responded in the right manner.
"If we can come up with the right deal, I'd love him to stay. It's tough when you're competing with Premier League clubs, but we shall do everything we can to keep him.
"We know what he can do and that is why we tried so hard to tie him up on a new deal last summer.
"If he does move on, he'll do so with my best wishes as he's been a fantastic player for us.
"And how much do the rest of the players want him to stay? Well, they have gagged him, tied him up and stuck a contract under his nose and won't let him out of the dressing room until he has signed it.
"Seriously, I don't know if Jermaine will have a change of heart. But if there is a chance within our financial constraints, then we shall try and keep him.
"Someone who can score 30 goals a season is rare and he wants to be tested at the top level."