Peter Ridsdale confirms one Preston North End player 'will undoubtedly leave' as contract update given

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PNE director spoke exclusively to the Lancashire Post this week

Preston North End director Peter Ridsdale says one player has still made it ‘absolutely clear’ they won’t be signing a new contract this summer.

The Lilywhites headed into the 2024/25 campaign with a whole host of first teamers in the final year of their deals. That list has been reduced in recent weeks with defensive trio Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay and Andrew Hughes all penning fresh terms.

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Still in the last few months of their contracts at Deepdale, though, are Freddie Woodman, Ryan Ledson, Duane Holmes, Emil Riis, Robbie Brady, Kian Best and Patrick Bauer. Manager Paul Heckingbottom suggested recently that any more extensions will likely be towards the end of the season.

On the matter, Ridsdale told the Lancashire Post: “Well, apart from one who's made it absolutely clear publicly that he doesn't want to talk to us about a contract - and we respect that, because the contract we say ‘We'll employ you until that date’ and the player says ‘I'll stay until that date’.

Liam Lindsay and Jordan Storey both signed new contracts recentlyLiam Lindsay and Jordan Storey both signed new contracts recently
Liam Lindsay and Jordan Storey both signed new contracts recently | CameraSport - Rich Linley

“So, there's one player who has said ‘I'm not interested in talking to you.’ We respect that and he will undoubtedly leave in the summer. I don't think it's any surprise if I were to say to you there's one player in our current squad who everybody knows has made it clear that they don't want to talk to us about a new contract, and they would expect to go elsewhere in the summer.

“I'm shocked if you don't know and I'm shocked if everybody else doesn't know because it's been the talk of social media for some time. But look, the reality is every player who's got a contract is contacted to a certain date. If they come to work every day and play for us and do the job, they'll stay until that date and then those who want to leave will leave - and those who want to stay will tell us.

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“And, we'll decide whether we want to offer them a new contract. There is only one in the current squad who has said they don't want to have any discussions and we're not currently in discussions with anybody else that we haven't already offered a contract to, but that may well change over the next few weeks, as the recruitment meetings take place.

“If Paul says ‘Crikey, if I let those two go I might not be able to get four in that position’ - or whatever it happens to be. So, no decisions have been finalised as to who will or won't of those who are out of contract, with the exception of one who won’t talk to us.

“That will evolve and Paul will take a view. We've got recruitment meetings set up and he may well come back to me and say ‘Look, I have thought about it, how about trying this player or that player.’ I don't think there's anybody on the list who's out of contract who, if we offered a new contract to, wouldn't stay - other than the one person.”

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