Preston North End are not far off finalising new contracts for two defenders

The defensive pair are among a host of players in the last seven months of their current deals at Deepdale.

It’s understood that wages have nearer enough been agreed, there just a question on the length to sort.

The change of manager at North End recently has put contracts slightly on the back burner.

Naturally, Ryan Lowe will be sounded out on potential new deals and there have been other more pressing things in his in-tray.

But getting Bauer and Hughes signed-up is moving in the right direction.

Lowe used the pair in his first game in charge against Barnsley last week.

Bauer had only made the bench for the previous game against Blackburn as he eased back from hamstring and Achilles issues.

Hughes missed that game through injury, having pulled up late on in the 1-1 draw with Fulham at the end of November.

It does seem that talks have gone on for a while with the pair, so too Tom Barkhuizen.

Preliminary negotiations started earlier in the autumn with their agents.

Barkhuizen doesn’t seem to be as far down the track as Bauer and Hughes.

However, there is time to do a deal. Barkhuizen is on the sidelines at the moment recovering from an ankle suffered against Fulham.

In September, North End agreed new contracts with Jordan Storey and Brad Potts.

They had been due out of contract at the end of the season, with Storey penning a three-year deal and Potts extending for two years.

At the end of October, Emil Riis agreed a new deal until June 2025, that putting an extra year on his deal with fresh terms.

Of the other players now in the final six or so months of their current contracts, Scott Sinclair is the most high profile of them.

It’s coming up two years since Sinclair signed on a free transfer from Celtic.

Again, Lowe’s views will be sought on the next step.

One contract which ends soon is that of Connor Wickham. The striker only signed a four-month deal in mid-September after a spell on trial.

He suffered a serious hamstring injury shortly after the contract was agreed, one which needed surgery.

Former Crystal Palace man Wickham has been doing his rehab at Euxton.

Quite a few of the other players who are out of contract in June 2022 have year options on them, including the four first-year professionals.

Jamie Thomas and Izzy Brown also have options.

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