Preston North End set to strike agreement with 29-year-old | OneFootball

Championship side Preston North End are close to tying centre-back Patrick Bauer down to a new contract at Deepdale, as per Lancashire Live.

The 29-year-old has been a regular starter at the heart of defence for the Lilywhites this term, recording 19 Championship appearances this term with new boss Ryan Lowe decided to stick with a back-three system following predecessor Frankie McAvoy’s departure.

Re-establishing himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet alongside the likes of Andrew Hughes and Sepp van den Berg, many will see this as a considerable achievement after returning from a ruptured Achilles in December 2020.

Quiz: Can you name which club Preston North End signed these 28 defenders from?

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Liam Lindsay

Stoke Port Vale Burton Stafford Rangers

This limited him to just 12 league displays last term, a real disappointment for the former Germany youth international who made appeared an impressive 43 times in the second tier for the Lancashire outfit during the 2019/20 campaign, his first season at Deepdale following his move from Charlton Athletic.

Being remembered as a cult hero by Addicks fans for his winner in the League One play-off final back in May 2019, he has certainly established himself as a fan favourite at Preston as well.

His contract at the club is due to expire in the summer, but as per Lancashire Live, he is set to put pen to paper on a new deal, though the length of this extension remains to be seen.

The same outlet also revealed that the 29-year-old was being monitored by other teams – but they now look set to fend off this interest.

The Verdict:

No offence to predecessor McAvoy, but the opportunity to work under new boss Lowe has probably persuaded the centre-back to sign on with the Lilywhites because he’s a young manager that already has a proven track record.

Preston were good in stages under McAvoy, especially during the latter stages of the 2020/21 season, but they didn’t seem to have a long-term vision with the Scotsman and that’s something they have now under an extremely talented boss in Lowe.

Not only will that be a game-changer at the negotiating table in terms of new contracts – but it may also be vital to their recruitment process and the calibre of players they are able to bring in.

Getting Bauer tied down is just one of the first steps in their current manager’s journey – but whether the latter is given the backing to take his team to the next level remains to be seen – despite the Hemmings family’s best efforts.

And this imminent agreement with the German is vital in retaining stability in the back three with van den Berg likely to return to Liverpool at the end of the campaign and the future of others uncertain.