Preston North End should look to re-unite with 10-goal Championship striker this summer | OneFootball

With Callum Robinson's contract coming to an end, he'd be a good addition for Preston North End

After a disappointing 2023/24 season, Callum Robinson has turned things around at Cardiff City during the current campaign, and his recent derby performance means he will be remembered as a Bluebirds cult-hero.

The Republic of Ireland international bagged two goals to give his side a comfortable 3-0 win against bitter rivals Swansea City, his third goal against the Swans this season after the equaliser he scored in their 1-1 draw back in August.

The derby day double took Robinson's Championship tally to the season to ten goals, an impressive strikerate when you consider he's playing for one of the division's poorest sides and when you consider he's started just 15 games.

This season has helped Robinson to cement his status as one of the division's deadliest finishers, and with his contract at Cardiff set to expire at the end of the season, he could be available on a free transfer.

No doubt this will pique the interest of plenty of clubs in the division, and Robinson's former club, Preston North End, should be all over a summer move for the 29-year-old.

Preston North End should be looking to reunite with Callum Robinson this summer

Thanks to 160 appearances and 41 goals over three different spells at Deepdale, Robinson is a popular figure amongst PNE supporters, and nobody could have begrudged him his move to the Premier League with Sheffield United in 2019, for a fee in the region of £8 million.

While there will likely be other clubs with more financial muscle interested in Robinson should he become a free agent, Preston's previous links with the Irishman may be crucial in getting a deal over the line, and they may be in desperate need of a striker in the summer.

It looks like North End could well lose a striker of their own on a free transfer in the summer, with Emil Riis' contract expiring at Deepdale, and pouncing to sign Robinson on a free could be the perfect way to avenge that.

You'd have thought that Cardiff would be keen to tie Robinson down given his form this season, but given the fact their Championship status is in the air, it could be one that drags on until the summer.

Robinson has shown previously that he thrives at Preston, and the 160 appearances he made for the Lilywhites is 65 more than he's made for any other club, so there's a real affiliation between the two parties, which will clearly be important in convincing him to re-join.

The Ireland international is a quality Championship striker, there's no doubt about that given the service, and the chance to sign a player of Robinson's stature doesn't come along very often.

With Riis' contract situation looking uncertain, Robinson would provide Paul Heckingbottom with a perfect replacement should the Dane leave, and it's a move they should be all over in the coming months.

Callum Robinson is back to his best this season - he could create a free agent auction in the summer

Last season was a frustrating one for Robinson, as a falling out with former Cardiff boss Erol Bulut and injuries meant he barely featured, and it would not have been a surprise if the Bluebirds had offloaded him in the summer.

With just two goals in 23 Championship appearances, you wouldn't have been blamed for thinking that Robinson's best days were behind him, but his form this season shows he's still got plenty to give.

He turns 30 in the next fortnight, so you'd have thought his chances of making a return to the Premier League are long gone, and that could work in Preston's favour when it comes to trying to seal a deal for the striker.

You'd have thought that it's unlikely any of the bigger Championship clubs would opt to sign Robinson, with their money and parachute payments meaning they could attract better, younger strikers, so it sets someone like Preston up to secure his signature, although there's likely going to be other interested parties should he run his deal down.

Robinson revealed that there was uncertainty over his contract situation at Cardiff, and talks could well be on the back burner until it's clear what league they'll be in next season.