Preston North End's loan transfer business compared to last season is proving costly for Graham Alexander

They say never fall in love with a loan player, but that doesn't look like it'll be an issue for Preston North End fans this season.

Like the vast majority of EFL clubs, Preston have utilised the loan market to their advantage in recent seasons to add a sprinkling of Premier League quality to the squad with either exciting prospects that need the experience or out-of-favour players who need the minutes.

Supporters may be constantly left heartbroken when they depart, but that's a sure sign that good business was conducted.

With North End not having the financial might of many Championship rivals, they've relied on the market to bolster the squad to great success.

Just last season alone, Alfie Devine - who would become a permanent addition - Daniel Jebbison, Lewis Dobbin and Harrison Armstrong all came in on loan deals and made massive impacts.

During their year at Deepdale, Devine got eight goals and eight assists, Dobbin got 10 and eight, and Jebbison got six and two.

Midfielder Armstrong performed so well in his 17 matches that Everton recalled him the moment the January transfer window opened, and he is now a regular in their starting XI.

Preston lost just three of the games he played in, picking up 26 points. In the 33 games since he left, only 27 points have been won.

Aiden McGeady, Alvaro Fernandez, Tom Cannon, Sepp van den Beg, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Liam Millar, Cameron Archer, Jordan Pickford and even as far back as David Beckham.

The list of Preston's successful loans is a long one, but it looks unlikely to be added to this season, as the four new arrivals have made nowhere near the same impact in the early stages of the campaign as last year’s did.

Preston's failings in the loan market are coming back to bite

North End spent money in the summer. More than they ever have. Fans were desperate to see Devine return permanently and he did, smashing the previous club record transfer to pieces in the process.

Yet, there have been clear failings in the squad building that have left Graham Alexander with an imbalanced squad that hardly suits any system. A young centre-back was needed to complement the squad's ageing defenders and the club has just one senior permanent striker on their books in Johnny Kenny, who has already missed games through injury.

It's tough to completely build a squad in a single window and that's where loans come in to help supplement what is already there. Yet, this season's loan business shows very little sign of being successful.

Caleb Wiley, on loan from Chelsea, looks a really promising player and scored a belter against Bristol City, but he has been out of action for over a month and has already suffered serious injuries in his young career.

Hopefully, after training with Alexander for the first time last week, he can soon return to action as his skills are well-suited to the back-three formation the manager is playing at left wing-back.

Wiley is the only one of four loan signings that has come from a Premier League side, and that lack of top tier talent is proving costly.

Jusef Erabi initially looked promising with two goals in his first two games off the bench, but has offered little leading the line in any game he's started. The Swede's glaring miss in Alexander's first game against Millwall proved to be extremely costly.

Delano Burgzorg has a lot of pace and energy, and even has three assists to his name, but looks rash and ineffective when he is on the ball.

Liam Gibbs was a last gasp recruitment from Norwich City on deadline day after Ali McCann suffered a hamstring injury days before. Gibbs, who also had a history of injury problems, is now out of action for up to three months.

All four of the loanees were signed on season-long deals and there are even options to make Erabi and Burgzorg's stays permanent, which seems unlikely to be triggered at present.

There is still time for all four to turn things around and there are mitigating factors given the entire team has struggled, not just them, there has been a change of manager and the injuries suffered, but there have been limited positive signs other than Wiley’s three appearances.

Alexander needs a chance to bring in his own loan signings

Unlike in previous seasons, the loan arrivals have just not worked so far, be it due to injury, quality or the general morale and struggles of the team. Whatever the reason, it is not helping.

January is still a lot of matches away. There needs to be an upturn in results way before it comes if there is to be a chance of getting out of the relegation zone. Yet, the transfer window is already looking like a tantalising oasis in an otherwise barren desert.

Alexander will need it to add his own players to the squad and being able to bring in loans will be crucial. Thankfully, there is not a limit on how many players a club can sign on loan, but they must fit in the 25-man squad list (Preston currently have 24 senior players), including loanees under 21, and only five are permitted in any match day squad.

It’s not clear if Preston would be able to end any of their current loan deals early in January but, if it’s possible, they may need to consider doing so to give Alexander as much room as possible to shape the squad into something he sees fit.