Fourth Preston North End signing imminent despite sudden exit of manager Ryan Lowe

Preston North End’s move for FC Utrecht winger Jeppe Okkels is not affected by the exit of manager Ryan Lowe.

The Lilywhites should complete the signing of the 25-year-old in the next 24 hours, after his medical at Euxton on Monday. PNE director Peter Ridsdale has confirmed that a fourth recruit of the summer transfer window is imminent. Okkels, a left winger, would be following Stefan Thordarson, Sam Greenwood and Kaine Kesler-Hayden to Deepdale this summer.

Speaking after Lowe’s departure, Ridsdale said: “We’ve hopefully, by this time tomorrow, got four new players in this season. They are players the club identified with Ryan, that we needed. The player is in the building and he has signed a contract. He is due to have a medical later today and there is a full process one has to go through, before any signing is completed and announced. I fully expect us to be able to announce somebody within the next 24 hours.”

Ridsdale added: “He was great, actually. He was more worried that we might’ve changed our minds. Given who he is and given he is known to three or four of our players, we got the players in to meet him first. They talked very highly of the club, which was very helpful - particularly as they didn’t do it in English, so I wasn’t quite sure what they said.

“He was more concerned we might’ve changed our minds, which we haven’t. We are delighted to add another player, which we will have hopefully done in the next 24 hours. It’s a player our scouts have scouted and of course, Ryan was very happy with the potential acquisition. But, this is a club recruit which Ryan had bought into - as opposed to the recruitment taking place because one person wants them, which is not the way it works.”