Heckingbottom will 'go to the wire' for PNE transfers as North End struggle in Championship
Striker at the top of North End’s shopping list as transfer window draws to a close
Boss Paul Heckingbottom revealed Preston are prepared ‘go to the wire’ in order to reinforce their squad ahead of tomorrow’s transfer window deadline.
North End are currently stuck in the mire - having lost their opening three league games, sinking to 23rd spot in the Championship table.
The opening day 2-1 defeat at Bolton Wanderers and the 3-1 loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the first league game of the season at Deepdale was followed by Saturday’s 1-0 reverse at new leaders Charlton Athletic.
The Carabao Cup exit albeit at the hands of Premier League Everton has heaped even further pressure on the manager.
It cannot be said that North End have not been active in the transfer market over the summer with nine new arrivals already coming through the door.
At the end of last week, Heckingbottom added winger Stanley Mills and left wing-back Caleb Wiley to his options.
The pair were given their PNE debuts as substitutes in the second half against the Addicks, but had little time to make an impression.
Having scored just two league goals all season, a new striker is urgently required, especially after the departure of Milutin Osmajic to Italian outfit Genoa last week.
And Heckingbottom made no bones about the fact that a goalscorer is at the top of his shopping list.
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“We are still working really hard,” said Heckingbottom, whose side face Bristol City at Deepdale on tomorrow night.
“I think for most clubs, it’s been a challenging window. We have had lots of moving parts at our place.
“But we are going go to the wire to make sure we finish in a strong as position as possible.
“We have been clear about that (bringing a striker in) all summer whether it’s wide players, been close on a lot of players but not managed to get them over the line and it’s also been front players.
“But when we lost Milly that became more of a priority.”
Good quality strikers are always at a premium and Heckingbottom admitted it’s going to be difficult to bring in the man who will make that difference at the top end of the pitch.
North End were certainly lacking in that department on Saturday against Charlton with Callum Lang, in particular, culpable.
The former Portsmouth man headed over bar in the first half and then flicked a great chance over the bar in the second when Liam Lindsay was better positioned.
“We have got to make things go our way,” he added. “We can’t feel sorry for ourselves, we have got to make the ball go in the net.
“It’s about winning. In my head I might be thinking about players who did well, but it’s who is going to score that goal.
“Who is going to win the game for us. Where’s that drive to get the goal, the desire. Smelling the chance, dropping on that second ball.
“Listen, it’s a gift - some players have got it, that’s why they go for millions and millions of pounds.”
PNE have been strongly linked with a move to bring former captain Alan Browne back to the club - something which Heckingbottom refused to be drawn on.