PNE boss wants swift conclusion to Garner bid saga

Rangers made a bid for Lilywhites striker Garner over the weekend, following up an earlier enquiry about him.

Speaking at PNE’s Springfields training ground on Monday morning, Grayson said: “We have had a bid from Rangers but we haven’t accepted or declined it at this moment in time.

“We will be speaking to Joe to get an opinion on what he wants to do and try and get it concluded one way or the other.

“That is not to say we have to sell, sometimes you have to give the player the opportunity to see what he wants to do.

“It can be unfair if you decline an offer and a player wants to go.

“There are talks going on between Joe, myself and representatives but ultimately we are in a position where we don’t have to sell – we don’t have to sell players to finance other deals.

“In Joe, we have a player who is under contract for two more years.

“Ultimately, it might boil down to if Joe wants to leave or not.

“We want to keep him, we don’t have to sell him but we are being fair to the player, as we would with any other player.

“As a football club, we are honest with players and open with them that when something comes along we keep them informed.

“That is the ideal way to treat them.”

North End face Derby County at Deepdale on Tuesday night and Grayson wants to go into the game with more certainty about Garner’s situation.

Grayson said: “I would like to have it nipped in the bud, ideally by the end of today (Monday).

“I am preparing for a game on Tuesday night and I need to know if Joe Garner is going to be involved in the squad or not.

“It needs to be put to bed one way or the other.”