4 in, 4 out: 8 Preston North End transfer dealings we could see emerge in the next few weeks | OneFootball

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Football League World

·13 May 2021

4 in, 4 out: 8 Preston North End transfer dealings we could see emerge in the next few weeks

Article image:4 in, 4 out: 8 Preston North End transfer dealings we could see emerge in the next few weeks

After a fantastic end to the 2020/21 season, Preston North End have handed the head coach reins to Frankie McAvoy after he picked up 17 points out of a possible 24.

Alex Neil’s former assistant has managed to win over the fans who haven’t been allowed to step foot inside Deepdale for over a year and when they return to the stands in August, we could see a much-changed Lilywhites side.


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The club brought in seven loan players in January – two of which were converted into permanent deals – so if all five of the rest go back to their parent clubs and don’t return then several spots in the squad need to be filled.

It was confirmed by McAvoy that Peter Ridsdale – advisor to owner Trevor Hemmings – will be leading the recruitment void that Joe Savage vacated with his move to Hearts earlier in the year, with the former Leeds chairman seemingly having more power than ever over incomings and outgoings.

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North End will surely be looking to do some early business though so let’s look at eight deals, both in and out of the club, that could happen in the next few weeks.

According to Football League World sources, Luton’s Bradley has rejected a new deal at Kenilworth Road and that would mean he departs next month as a free agent.

The 29-year-old played 37 times for the Hatters last season and in January he was linked with a move to Deepdale by The Sun on Sunday (17th January, page 59).

Nothing came of it that month but if North End did hold a firm interest in the towering 6ft 5in defender then, they probably will now he will be unattached.

Bradley hails from the north in Hull and whilst that’s not exactly close to Preston it’s a lot nearer than Luton is, so he may fancy the move if it becomes available and with both Sepp van den Berg and Liam Lindsay as of right now set to return to their parent clubs, a move to Bradley may make a lot of sense.

They may have to wait until after Euro 2020 has concluded to try and make a deal happen, but the Lancashire Post believes that North End have made an approach to Leicester City to try and get Danish stopper Daniel Iversen back for another season.

If it came to fruition then he’d be expected to battle with Declan Rudd for the starting jersey, and with youth goalkeeper Ollie Lombard signing a pro deal, time may be up for Ripley.

His contract does not expire until next summer however and he could be a tough player to move on – he’s made just one league appearance this season and at times he’s not even been on the bench with Mathew Hudson preferred.

If Iversen and Rudd are going to be around next season there’s no need for three senior stoppers on the books and it would be a shock if Ripley is still at Deepdale at the start of the season.

All of PNE’s loan players from the second half of the season have now returned to their parent clubs and moves have already been made for Iversen, Liam Lindsay may be of interest but it looks unlikely that Anthony Gordon and Jayson Molumby will return.

One player who will be of major interest though is Van den Berg, who really impressed at Deepdale in the last couple of months and for the most part he played out of position at right-wing-back.

The Dutchman seemed very happy at North End and to get regular senior minutes, and LancsLive say that the club have first refusal on a loan move for the teenager for the 2021/22 season so it would be no shock to see him return.

After appearing mainly as a substitute in the first half of the season for PNE, Stockley headed out on loan to Charlton Athletic in League One in search of more first-team football.

He got just that at The Valley, playing 22 times and scoring eight goals – all but one of them being with his head and solidifying himself as a very effective target man at that level.

That goalscoring form will not have gone unnoticed and even though Stockley has admitted he would love to return to the Addicks next season, his performances may attract a bidding war and whatever is the case you can’t imagine he will be in McAvoy’s plans for next season.

Another player North End were linked to before January on October 9 by Sky Sports, Williams looks set to leave Exeter City this summer when his contract expires.

Williams lit up League Two last season with 14 assists but his productivity has waned slightly in 2020/21, scoring four times and assisting twice in 29 outings.

The 24-year-old is still a talented winger or wing-back though and he could fit into McAvoy’s system as he favours three centre-backs and wing-backs.

Is he of the required quality for where North End want to end up though? The only way to find out is by taking a punt on him….

Whilst Rafferty provides decent versatility in a back four being able to play at left and right-back, we haven’t seen him in McAvoy’s system due to injury.

The 27-year-old hasn’t played since March due to injury but made 22 appearances during the season – some North End fans though aren’t convinced by his quality and many believe the club can boost the right-wing-back position this summer.

Whoever that ends up being remains to be seen – it could be a returning Van den Berg or someone else – but Rafferty’s future looks uncertain with a year left on his contract at the Lancashire club.

As per usual with the season ending the transfer rumour mill has gone into overdrive, and North End have been linked with plenty of names already including Oxford midfielder Cameron Brannagan and Cheltenham defender Will Boyle.

An interesting link that emerged a few weeks ago was that of Crewe Alexandra’s Owen Dale, who sure has had a breakout season for the Railwaymen.

The 22-year-old netted 11 times in League One for David Artell’s side this past season and he would definitely fit the mould of signing that PNE need in terms of potentially having resale value a few years down the line.

There seems to be multiple names in the hunt for Dale though and McAvoy’s trusted system doesn’t implement wingers, so if Dale really is a target then it could be for a central striking role.

Perhaps the most interesting squad member to have his contract expiring next summer, there’s still no new deal been penned for Barkhuizen, who was a January 2017 signing from Morecambe.

Barkhuizen brings pace, versatility and normally goals, netting eight times in the 2017-18 campaign and nine times in 2019-20.

This season hasn’t been as prolific for the winger – just four goals in 45 games but in some recent matches he’s played at wing-back, showing he can fit in in most parts of the pitch.

Barkhuizen’s situation should become clearer this summer – if a new deal isn’t signed by the time pre-season comes around then the 27-year-old could end up being shopped about for the best price.

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