'Has not even been mentioned' - Rumours of a Wigan Athletic return for Preston North End striker brutally shot down

Preston North End striker Will Keane will not depart Deepdale for a return to Wigan Athletic this summer.

That’s according to our sister paper, Wigan Today, who claim the 32-year-old Republic of Ireland international is ‘not a target’ for former Lilywhites boss Ryan Lowe. In fact, reporter Paul Kendrick has also insisted that Keane's name has ‘not even been mentioned’ as the Latics look for a route out of League One next season.

Speculation about the forward’s PNE future has surfaced in recent days, with both Wigan and Bolton - who this week signed striker Sam Dalby from Wrexham - mentioned as potential suitors for the forward, who was linked with a move to West Brom last summer.

The former Manchester United trainee’s goal return for North End last term as they narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship on the last day of the season will have fuelled that exit talk, with manager Paul Heckingbottom keen to have a forward line that will help the Lilywhites avoid such dangers in the future.

His sporadic use of the player, who scored three goals in 27 appearances last term, will also be a factor - despite Keane being contracted to Deepdale until 2026. Indeed, the club’s 13-goal top scorer from the 2023-24 season made more substitute appearances (14) than starts (13) in the league last term as he dropped down the pecking order.

Yet if Keane does leave Deepdale this summer after 71 appearances and 17 goals, it won’t be so that he can be reunited with Lowe - who brought him to PR1 in the first place - at Wigan.

Indeed, according to Kendrick: ‘Latics boss Lowe has already outlined his desire to bring in three forwards this summer, to boost an attack that returned the fewest amount of goals in the third tier in 2004/25.

‘However, Wigan Today understands a return move for Keane has not even been mentioned by the Latics hierarchy, and he is not a transfer target.’

Will Keane’s previous record at Wigan

Keane has enjoyed two previous spells at Wigan - once on loan from Manchester United during the 2013-14 season, the other following his free transfer move from Ipswich Town in 2020.

His latter spell saw him spend three years with the DW Stadium side - a relationship that produced 48 goals and 13 assists from 119 league games.

He only departed the club, alongside Jack Whatmough in 2023, after Wigan were relegated to League One and failed to play their players in time.

With Emil Riis leaving Deepdale upon the expiry of his contract this month and Ched Evans’ PNE future in serious doubt, Keane could be one of only two recognised strikers -along Milutin Osmajic - on North End’s books when they report back for pre-season training in the next couple of weeks.

For your next Preston North End read: Preston North End outgoing state of play after early flurry of incoming transfer activity