Preston North End checked out their latest signing with RB Leipzig head coach

Frankie McAvoy has spoken about how he tapped-up a leading football coach for a reference for Preston North End’s latest signing Matthew Olosunde.
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McAvoy is pals with Jesse Marsch who in June was named as head coach at RB Leipzig, taking over from Julian Nagelsmann who left for Bayern Munich.

Marsch has been head coach at two other clubs under the Red Bull umbrella, New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Salzburg.

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At New York Marsch coached Olosunde who was in their academy – Marsch is a pal of PNE head coach McAvoy.

Jesse Marsch on the touchline at Anfield during his time as Red Bull Salzburg head coachJesse Marsch on the touchline at Anfield during his time as Red Bull Salzburg head coach
Jesse Marsch on the touchline at Anfield during his time as Red Bull Salzburg head coach

Olosunde was later to sign for Manchester United as a teenager and after spending two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford, moved to Rotherham.

The right-back spent two seasons in South Yorkshire and it was when his contract came to an end with the Millers that he joined the Lilywhites on a Bosman last week, signing a two-year deal.

McAvoy told the Lancashire Post: “Jesse and myself did our Pro-licence together.

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“I went to New York Red Bulls as one of my overseas visits when Jesse was there.

Matthew Olosunde after signing for Preston North End last week      Photo courtesy of PNEMatthew Olosunde after signing for Preston North End last week      Photo courtesy of PNE
Matthew Olosunde after signing for Preston North End last week Photo courtesy of PNE

“I spent a week with him which was brilliant, seeing how it all worked.

They are based in New Jersey where Matthew is from.

“Matthew had been a young player there and Jesse had worked with him. He’d gone to Manchester United when I went there.

“I’ve had a good chat with Jesse, we spoke about Matthew for a reference.

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“We’re delighted to get him, he’s dynamic down that right side.

“We liked what we had seen of him at Rotherham, he’s young, only 23, so he’s got a lot of time ahead of him to develop.”

Olosunde will fill the vacancy which North End have had at right-back since January when they sold Darnell Fisher to Middlesbrough.

Alan Browne initially stood in as a makeshift right-back and then Sepp van den Berg stepped into the role.

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Van den Berg will be an option for right-back/wing-back this season but has his sights set more on competing for a centre-half role.

Joe Rafferty is another right-back option, a back injury sustained in Alex Neil’s final match in charge having forced him to miss all of the games McAvoy was in interim charge for.

Rafferty is one of a dozen PNE players who have just entered the final 12 months of their contracts.

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