New boy Maguire wants to help Lilywhites up the table

Preston North End manager Simon Grayson will be hoping new boy Sean Maguire can score lots of goals

The Cork City striker will arrive at Deepdale at the end of July having signed a three-year contract after the clubs agreed compensation.

The 23-year-old, who has scored 19 goals in 20 games so far this season, believes the potential is there for the Lilywhites to reach the top flight.

After finishing 11th in the Championship last time around, Maguire knows taking his form from the League of Ireland to Lancashire will only help North End move closer to the play-offs.

“I’ve actually been to a couple of game at Deepdale and seen how good the atmosphere is at the stadium when there is a big game,” he told PNE’s official website.

“The fans are very passionate and that really helps the players and it’s always nice to have the incredible fans there to push the players on.

“I spoke with people at the club and I saw what the club’s ambitions are for next season and that’s only to get promoted to the Premier League.

“Hopefully I can bring goals and assists to help the team and hopefully help the team climb that table and progress to take the club to where it belongs which is the Premier League.

“I’m absolutely over the moon, the club has shown an interest in me for a while now and so it’s great to get it done.

“I can’t wait to get going. I’m looking forward to meeting all of the lads and hopefully progressing on where the club finished last year.

“The team finished in the top half so we will want to be pushing for the play-offs.”

Maguire remains PNE’s solitary confirmed summer acquisition thus far.

It is a matter of when, not if, team mate Kevin O’Connor joins him at Deepdale, a deal having been struck between the Lilywhites and Cork for the left back.

North End have also been linked with a move for promising Manchester United front man Josh Harrop.

For Maguire, it will be a second spell in England, the poacher having left Waterford for West Ham as a youngster.

Loan spells at Sligo Rovers and Accrington Stanley followed and the man pushing for a call-up to Martin O’Neill’s senior side believes now the right time to head back.

“It’s a great chance to prove myself in England,” said Maguire.

“I was at Accrington Stanley and I played 30 games for them and scored a couple of goals but I felt that there was a lot more in me.

“I have scored a lot of goals in the Irish league. It’s a great standard but I think it’s time for me to now step up to another level and I think I can bring a lot to this team and help it move forward.”