Preston North End free agent stance outlined by Paul Heckingbottom amid Milutin Osmajic situation

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom hasn’t ruled out a free agent swoop entirely - but says nothing is currently ongoing with one.

The Lilywhites left one space free in their official squad, through to January. After the summer transfer window closed, Heckingbottom insisted the budget had been used and PNE wouldn’t be looking in the freebie market.

But, fresh questions are now being posed, amid Milutin Osmajic’s FA charge. North End will submit their response on Monday evening and await the outcome, after the Montenegro international allegedly bit Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck - in the Lancashire derby at Deepdale.

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“Firstly, we don’t know what is happening there (with Osmajic),” said Heckingbottom on Monday, when asked about the situation. “I would be disappointed if there is a long ban. And then, yeah, you just have to address it from there - because it could happen for any reason.

“Injuries in a certain position, suspensions - if it is short-term then you have to deal with it as a squad. If things are long term and you are going to leave yourselves short, then they are conversations you have. But, it still has to be for the best case scenario.

“If it was someone on a short-term deal, to get you through to the next window, then it’s that type of thing. What you don’t want is to make do with something and then resources aren’t there in January - when things which could be better for us as a club appear. We then may not to be able to do it, so everything needs to be weighed up, if - if - those situations arise.”

On whether PNE are currently in for a free agent, he added: “No. Listen, I have just been chatting about two, but it doesn’t mean we are looking at them. You are always chatting and people are always ringing... ‘Can so and so come in to train?’ So yeah, there are always conversations like that.”