12 former Preston North End players on the move this summer, with Manchester City loanee going to Championship rivals

But there have been plenty of moves involving their former players so far this summer, with 12 ex-PNE men either leaving their clubs or joining another one.

There are six recent Lilywhites’ men who are now looking for new clubs, with six more having already found new homes.

Liam Delap

One of the most recent former PNE players, Liam Delap joined the club in January having spent the first half of the season on loan at Stoke City.

Preston picked up the same loan deal that he was onw ith the Potters and the Manchester City man had a new home for the latter part of the season. He’d scored three times under Alex Neil’s stewardship and managed just one goal in 15 games for North End, though he was unoffically credited with the equaliser against Blackburn Rovers by Ryan Lowe as his cross was turned into his own net by Dominic Hyam.

The England U21 international has a chance to prove himself yet again at Championship level, this time with Hull City. He started for PNE away against the Tigers in February but was taken off at half time.

Sean Maguire

Another one to have featured last season for PNE, Maguire left Deepdale after five-and-a-half years in January, moving to Coventry City.

Maguire was a bit-part player for the Sky Blues, though Mark Robins’ men did reach the Championship play-off final. The Irishman was on the bench for both of the play-off semi finals but was not named in the squad at Wembley and was subsequently released following the end of the campaign.

Josh Harrop

Josh Harrop was on the books at North End right up until the end of the transfer window last summer but a deal was agreed to terminate his contract early.

Signed from Manchester United, he never took off in PNE colours and injuries hampered the back end of his Preston career.

He moved on to Northampton Town in December but featured just twice for the Cobblers as they secured promotion from League Two before being released after the end of the season.

Danny Mayor

Danny Mayor came through the academy at North End and looked to be an exciting prospect in the first team before his departure in 2012.

He struggled to find consistent game time at Sheffield Wednesday before finding a home at Bury, under current PNE boss Ryan Lowe.

Mayor spent six years with the Shakers and won promotion from League Two with them before, alongside Lowe, he moved south to join Plymouth Argyle.

He was a key player as the Pilgrims won League Two and has been instrumental ever since, with Argyle sealing promotion from League One last term.

After promotion, the attacking midfielder was allowed to leave the club on a free, returning to Lancashire to join Fleetwood Town.

Josh Ginnelly

Brought in from Walsall in 2019, Josh Ginnelly had raw pace and looked suited to Alex Neil’s 4-2-3-1 that was being played at PNE at the time.

The game time did not materialise for the young winger and he was shipped out on loan to Bristol Rovers and then Hearts before the latter snapped him up in 2021.

He’s spent two years in Edinburgh, with a standout season last time out with double figure goals, before opting to move on when his contract expired less than a week ago, despite the Scottish side’s best efforts to keep him at the club.

Championship side Swansea City swooped in to sign the 26-year-old, who penned a three-year-deal in South Wales.

Darnell Fisher

Not much was expected of Darnell Fisher when he signed on a free transfer from relegated Rotherham United in 2017 but he proved to be a key player at right back for North End.

A reliable pick for Alex Neil at the time, his game management and willingness to go into the tackle earned him adulation from the North End fans, and plenty of attention from the referees.

With six months remaining on his contract, Fisher departed North End in January 2021 for Middlesbrough, though it didn’t go well for him in the North East.

Fisher played just over a dozen times over the last two years, with injuries severely impacting his availablity and he was released on a free this summer.

Chris Maxwell

Once North End’s first choice goalkeeper, now Chris Maxwell finds himself without a club having been released by local rivals Blackpool despite being club captain.

Maxwell was once battling for the no.1 spot with Decaln Rudd though last out and was not content with a spot on the bench. He had loans with Charlton Athletic and Hibernian but in the search for game time he dropped down a division to join Blackpool and was their skipper as they won promotion for the third tier at Wembley.

He made over 100 apperances for the Seasiders across three years but now must move on to pastures new.

Louis Moult

A fans’ favourite during his time at Preston, Louis Moult’s time in PR1 was impacted by injuries but he delivered off the pitch when he couldn’t on it.

Moult did some excellent work in the community during his time with PNE, particularly with homelessness, and was responsible for some fine moments on the pitch too.

An ACL injury, and two further surgeries on his knee, meant he could never really get going in North End colours following an impressive run in Scotland.

He signed a two-year-deal with Burton Albion following his release and has since been back on loan at Motherwell before the Brewers released him this summer.

Connor Ripley

Connor Ripley was brought in as a backup option who could challenge Declan Rudd’s first team spot in 2019, though he failed to wrestle the starting spot away from him.

Most often used in cup competitions, Ripley only made a handful of appearances for North End and was sent on an emergency loan to Salford City in 2021.

Last summer he joined Morecambe on a free transfer and despite their relegation this season, he was a standout performer and claimed many plaudits.

His heroics for the Shrimps earned him a move to Port Vale, where has signed a two-year-deal.

Jamie Proctor

Jamie Proctor broke into the Preston team around the same time as Danny Mayor and was their starting striker in a front three under Phil Brown during their first seaosn in League One.

Injury struck all of the front three but in the end Proctor moved on to Swansea City for a fee. He’s gone on to have a respectable career across the lower leagues of the EFL, though he’s played for no fewer than 15 different clubs, signing for a 16th this summer.

After two years with Port Vale, Proctor has left the club on a free transfer, joining Barrow in League Two.

Daryl Horgan

One of the Irish crop under Alex Neil, Daryl Horgan joined the club alongside defender Andy Boyle after impressing for Dundalk in the League of Ireland.

The winger made his debut against Arsenal in the FA Cup at Deepdale and spent 12 months with the Lilywhites. He moved to Scotland with Hibernian before coming back to England to play for Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe Wanderers in the Championship.

After three years with the Chairboys, including a loan spell to Stevenage as they won promotion from League Two last season, the former Republic of Ireland international is now without a club.

David Amoo

Very much a throwback of PNE’s League One days, David Amoo joined from Liverpool having had a couple of loan moves in the football league prior.

Six months into his time at the club he left for then high-flying Tranmere Rovers, who fell to a mid table finish, before spending most of the rest of his career at League Two level.

Most recently, he’s been released by Crewe Alexandra although he has signed for Ebbsfleet United in the National League to continue his professional career.