Peter Ridsdale updates Preston North End's search for a striker in the transfer window

PNE director Ridsdale, who is the representative of North End owner Trevor Hemmings, spoke to the local media at Euxton on Thursday.

The Lilywhites kick-off the new Championship season against Hull City on Saturday afternoon, the first time supporters have been allowed in Deepdale since March 2020 due to Government restrictions during the pandemic.

On the striker search, Ridsdale said: "I think our recruitment has been very good for what we need. Everyone says we need a striker and we know that.

"Saying that, I saw a comment on social media that since Jordan Hugill left, we hadn't signed any strikers. We have signed six.

"Whether or not people feel those six have done a job or not, is another question.

"The hardest job in football is to find a 20-odd goal a season striker within the budget of a Championship football club.

"All clubs are under Financial Fair Play and in the Championship that means you can only lose so much over three years.

"With Covid, with our overheads and income streams, we are very close to those limits, so we have to keep an eye on that as well.

"But if we can find the right player that can add value to our strike force, we will do so.

"I understand people's frustration, I share the same frustration, so does Frankie McAvoy."

North End have made five summer signings, Sepp van Den Berg, Liam Lindsay, Izzy Brown, Matthew Olosunde and Daniel Iversen.

A striker would be the icing on the cake.

Asked about the likelihood of a striker signing before the August 31 deadline, Ridsdale said: "It depends on who the player is and what the asking price is.

"What I can tell you is that the most valued players at football clubs in terms of the transfer markets, are strikers.

"There are very few Championship clubs with money to spend. Some clubs have parachute payments.

"We have invested in the last 12 months, Ben Whiteman we paid a lot of money for, as we did with Emil Riis last October.

"We have high hopes for Emil this season, he has done very well in pre-season.

"So we have invested in the past and we will invest in the future for the right players.

"The hardest bit is finding strikers, it is a challenge.

"We have brought in nine players I think since last autumn. Daniel Iversen came back this week, Liam Lindsay made his move permanent in the summer after he did well for us from January.

Ched Evans and Greg Cunningham came in during January, we've brought Sepp van den Berg back in.

"Nine players in a 25-man squad is a lot but we want another striker."

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