Ex-Charlton Athletic man available for transfer after Preston North End contract shock
PNE have published their 2023/24 retained list
Preston North End defender Patrick Bauer was expected to leave the club this summer as a free agent, but is in fact contracted until 2025.
The German centre-back signed fresh terms at Deepdale in January 2022, shortly after the arrival of manager Ryan Lowe. He played 37 games that season, but has featured just 10 times in the last two campaigns. There was a one-year option inserted in Bauer’s deal though and that was indeed triggered during the 2021/22 season.
Which, means the 31-year-old remains part of the contracted squad at PNE. Bauer was made available for transfer back in January and North End will entertain offers for the player this summer, if there are suitors. Signed on a free transfer in the summer of 2019, the ex-Charlton Athletic man has made 103 appearances for Preston - scoring seven goals.
On Bauer, manager Ryan Lowe said last season: “Patrick has been fit and training, all season. Obviously, Patrick was told that, in no uncertain terms but in the nicest possible way, that we’ve got our squad, got the players and - barring any major injuries to the back lads - he wouldn’t be considered for the squad.
“He has travelled with us a few times and been in the squad, but we haven’t used him. He has been told he can look for a new club and move on, but he’s been a breath of fresh air. His attitude and application has been spot on. We speak on a regular basis, in a morning and in the afternoon. There’s no difference - we haven’t got one person at the football club who doesn’t do that.”