PNE have signed four players in the summer transfer window

Further summer transfer business is not completely off the cards at Preston North End.

The Lilywhites are, though, now looking to appoint a new manager following the sudden exit of Ryan Lowe on Monday. One game into the 2024/25 campaign, the 45-year-old brought his two-and-half-year stay at Deepdale to an end. Despite that, North End completed the signing of FC Utrecht winger Jeppe Okkels the day after.

The 25-year-old follows Sam Greenwood, Stefan Thordarson and Kaine Kesler-Hayden to Preston this summer. North End director Peter Ridsdale, ahead of this summer, expected to bring in four to five new players. With four now in the building, and the manager hunt now taking priority, does he anticipate any further business.

Ridsdale told the Lancashire Post: “Until the 30 August, there is always business to be done. Are we out there looking to add yet more and spend more money? No, not necessarily, because we always said we’d bring in four or five - depending on the positions.

We will have done the right wing-back, the left winger or wing-back - depending on your view - and we’ll have brought in two midfield players, recognising that both Ben (Woodburn) and Alan (Browne) went. And, I think we will be in great shape. But, until 11 o’clock on the 30th of August, who knows?”

PNE’s director added: “Nothing changes, because the budget is the budget and therefore, we started off the season with a budget and we are working to that. If a new manager or head coach comes in between now and August 30, they will presumably assess the squad, take a view and tell us what he thinks.

“I think the likelihood of somebody coming in and having a radical view to change what we’ve got, in two weeks, is unlikely. We will see who would like to sit in the hot seat here. All I can tell you is that there is no shortage of people who seem to think this is a very attractive football club to be the manager of.”