Michael Carrick's view as Preston North End 'join' Millwall in race for 21-year-old Middlesbrough man

Preston North End are being linked with a late swoop for Middlesbrough striker Josh Coburn.

According to Football Insider, the Lilywhites are ‘working on a deal’ to bring the 21-year-old to Deepdale before the transfer window shuts on Friday night. Coburn is down the pecking order at the Riverside, following Boro’s signing of Tommy Conway from Bristol City. In total, he has scored 12 goals in 56 outings for Middlesbrough - with a 2022/23 loan spell spent at Bristol Rovers.

New PNE boss Paul Heckingbottom is keen to add to his squad before the deadline. The 47-year-old was appointed as manager last Tuesday and there have been links to the likes of Daniel Jebbison and Josh Bowler since then. Preston’s striking department currently contains Will Keane, Emil Riis, Milutin Osmajic and Layton Stewart - who was not involved on Tuesday night at Harrogate Town.

Coburn has been linked with North End’s Championship rivals, Millwall, this summer. It is reported in Teesside that the Lions have held discussions with Boro, but that the two clubs are apart in valuation. His contract runs until the summer of 2027, but Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has not ruled out an exit for the front man in this window.

When asked one week ago whether anything concrete had materialised, Carrick said: “No. Josh is the same as everyone else from my perspective. There’s nothing and he’s one of us. He’s in a good place - he looks fit, he looks strong and he looks hungry to play more football and be dangerous. So there’s nothing from my point of view. Speculation is what it is. All sorts fly around about all sorts of players. That’s just something we learn to live with and not get too hyped up with."