Preston North End urged to push for 18-goal EFL striker - he'd remove "main worry" from pre-season | OneFootball

FLW's Preston fan pundit feels that the club must bring in a goal scorer before the new season starts.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Richard Kone was one of the breakout stars in the EFL last season, winning the League One Player of the Season award in his first full professional campaign for Wycombe Wanderers.

His goal-scoring antics in the first half of the season prompted a £7 million bid from Luton Town last January, which was ultimately rejected by the Chairboys, and whilst his numbers in front of goal cooled off slightly in the second half of the campaign, his performances are still warranting interest this summer.

Sides in the Championship and abroad are forming a disorderly queue to put their names in the hat to bring him in, whilst Swansea City and Preston North End have submitted formal offers for the centre-forward who rifled home 18 times in League One last season.

Preston and Ligue 1 side Toulouse have had £3 million offers knocked back by Wycombe for Kone, whilst Swansea City have lodged a £4.5 million bid, according to Wales Online, which Mike Dodds' side are "considering."

Preston need a top striker this summer, and there arguably aren't many better suited for the step-up into the Championship than Kone.

Preston North End urged to press hard for Richard Kone deal

Swansea may lead the race currently, but FLW's PNE fan pundit, Darren Watson, hopes that North End's stake in the race isn't over just yet.

Speaking to FLW, Watson outlined the need for a potent striker through the door this summer. The Lilywhites managed just over a goal a game last season, netting 48 Championship goals - only four other sides scored fewer.

Kone is a proven goal-getter in League One, and Watson feels that he'd be able to make the step-up at Deepdale.

"I saw reports breaking last night that we put in £3 million for Kone," he said. "He's coming into the last year of his contract at Wycombe, and hopefully we can entice him with an offer to come to Deepdale.

"Obviously, he's wanted by a lot of clubs. Swansea want him, and so do Toulouse. Our bid has been rejected already, but I think we should potentially go back in for at least £4 million."

Preston aren't exactly known to splash the cash on players, with their current record signing, Milutin Osmajic, arriving for just £2.1million. Spending at least £4 million would smash that figure, and would show a bit of intent after a poor season last term.

"It's a lot for North End, and even the £3 million mark is a lot for us too, with our record signing only being £2.1 million - so we'd be breaking that and making him our marquee signing," Watson continued.

"I do think we should go back in for him, though. He can score goals at League One level, he's proven there, and the question lies whether he can prove himself in a more challenging league and perform the same.

"Hopefully, he can."

Kone told he could fix key Preston issue from pre-season

Watson expressed a little bit of worry regarding the lack of goalscorers at the club currently.

Paul Heckingbottom's side secured the arrival of Michael Smith after he departed from Sheffield Wednesday this summer, and have also brought in Daniel Jebbison on loan from Bournemouth.

Despite this, Preston have scored just three times in five pre-season games, and recently lost 2-0 to League One side, Bolton Wanderers.

Watson concluded, "Hopefully we can sign someone who can score goals before the season starts, as that is the one thing I'm very worried about going into it.

"We lack a goal threat, and we have lacked goals, especially in pre-season."

Preston picked up the second-fewest points in the Championship in 2025, scoring just 22 goals along the way. Whilst Smith performed well for Sheffield Wednesday in the past couple of Championship campaigns, Heckingbottom's side still lacks that 15-goal-a-season threat which most sides crave.

Kone could provide that, but it seems that North End will need to break the bank even further to secure his signature.