Preston North End eyeing up Sheffield Wednesday transfer raid - Paul Heckingbottom has managed him before | OneFootball

Preston North End are keen on signing left-sided Sheffield Wednesday player Max Lowe.

Preston North End chief Paul Heckingbottom is keen to reunite with defender Max Lowe, who worked with the 47-year-old at Sheffield United, according to reports.

Lowe completed a switch from the red side of the Steel City to the blue side of it last summer, in a move which disappointed many Blades supporters after the defender's four years of service to the club.

However, the 28-year-old could now be on his way out of Hillsborough after just one season at the club, with Sheffield Wednesday in serious financial turmoil, which could see a mass exodus of their players after late wage payments.

This has seen reports emerge on Sunday morning from transfer expert Alan Nixon via his Patreon page, that Lowe's former boss at Bramall Lane is keen to reunite with him at Deepdale, amid the ongoing crisis for the Owls.

Preston North End keen on striking a deal for Sheffield Wednesday's Max Lowe

Lowe was a stalwart for Danny Rohl's side last season, who once again achieved an excellent finish in the Championship, despite the issues that were going on behind the scenes in relation to Dejphon Chansiri.

Now, the ongoing financial turmoil at the Yorkshire-based club could leave them with little choice other than to sell some of their players, as they look to prevent key players from leaving after not receiving their wages on time.

There has been plenty of interest in some of Wednesday's key players, and the latest one to be attracting interest from elsewhere is Lowe, who is a target of former boss Heckingbottom at Preston, according to Nixon.

The 28-year-old worked with the Lilywhites chief at current club Sheffield Wednesday's bitter city rivals Sheffield United, and a reunion could reportedly take place if the Owls quote North End a 'sensible fee'.

Lowe featured mainly as a left wing-back for Heckingbottom at the Blades, but he featured prominently under Danny Rohl on the left-hand side of a back three last season - that could be where he is lined up to feature at PNE as competition to the experienced Andrew Hughes.

Max Lowe sale could help Sheffield Wednesday towards resolving financial crisis

The irresponsible and neglectful ownership of Chansiri has gone on for far too long, and no matter who you support, you're left wondering when this nightmare is finally going to come to an end for Wednesdayites.

Plenty of star players, such as Barry Bannan, are technically free agents, after a new contract hasn't been formally signed yet. Therefore, the long-serving club captain and fan favourite could still be wearing a different club's colours next term - although his loyalty to the club appears to be unwavering.

Lowe has a Wednesday contract until the end of the 2025/26 season, making him a saleable asset for the club, and the fee they recoup from sanctioning a sale to PNE could be key in sorting out new contracts for other players who are now unattached.

Despite being a key player for the Owls last term, selling the 28-year-old for a fee would be seen as solid business, as Wednesday acquired him on a free transfer.

It also frees up money on the wage bill to secure new deals for out-of-contract stars - the sale of Anthony Musaba to Samsunspor and the lined-up deal to take Djeidi Gassama to Rangers may not see that cash last long, given the debts Chansiri has to settle.