After booking their spot in next season’s Championship on the final day, Paul Heckingbottom has started his summer business early.
The Lilywhites confirmed the arrival of Jordan Thompson on Friday afternoon, while Daniel Iversen is closing in on sealing his Deepdale return.
North End have wasted no time in getting their business underway as the head coach prepares for his first summer market.
Although it is still early days, 23 teams have already booked their spot in the Championship next season, with just the play-offs to decide the remaining two spots.
But we’ve taken to the world of technology to predict what the second tier’s final outcome could look like and where PNE will finish.
To do that, we’ve used AI, more specifically X’s Grok tool, to determine what the Championship table could end up looking like on the final day next season.
Here’s where the Lilywhites are predicted to finish.
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17. 17th: Portsmouth
Reason: Portsmouth’s mid-table finish in 2024-25 relied on players like Colby Bishop and Josh Murphy. They’re likely to remain competitive but not push for promotion. | Getty Images
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18. 19th: Watford
Reason: Watford’s poor 2024-25 season under Tom Cleverley and lack of parachute payments suggest a tough campaign. They may struggle to avoid the drop. | Getty Images
19. 20th: Preston
Reason: Very inconsistent in 2024-25 season and that could point to another difficult year. | Getty Images
20. 21st: Oxford United
Reason: Mid-table finish in 2024-25 was solid, but their underlying metrics suggest overperformance. They’re at risk without significant signings. | Getty Images