3 talking points after Craig Hemmings & Peter Ridsdale weigh in on transfers, contracts and finances

Player trading ambitions

Firstly, it’s encouraging to see this being spoken about, as it has been something which Preston North End just haven’t done anywhere near enough in recent seasons. It is argued that Covid had a sizable impact on the Lilywhites’ ability to do this, though that is a good few years back now. Seven-figure transfer fees have since been spent on Mads Frokjaer, Milutin Osmajic and Jeppe Okkels - while the outlay for Stefan Thordarson wasn’t too far away.

North End’s owners are having to put in c£11million per season, to cover losses. A player sale for a handsome fee every 18 months - which in this day and age does not seem an impossible target - would of course soften that financial hit. One interesting point made was that the strategy has been instigated over the last few transfer windows. Time will tell whether any of the permanent additions are eventually sold for money. As, while they are on long deals, their ages raise question marks over resale value.

Contract admission

It’s now clear that players will be moving on in the next six months, some in the summer and some, potentially, in January. It was also mentioned that players Preston want to keep, will not sign fresh terms at Deepdale. This had already been hinted and it will be interesting to see who that applies to. It has previously been reported that there is some uncertainty over youngster Kian Best’s future, but there are several others who could fit into that category: Liam Lindsay, Emil Riis and others.

It was also suggested that Paul Heckingbottom could aim to shift players on who remain under contract beyond the summer of 2025. The test there will be finding suitors willing to pay transfer fees; PNE may have to loan players out, though lower league outfits could struggle with wage contributions. The likes of Layton Stewart and Jack Whatmough are two who stand out in that bracket, as two outfield players who have featured the least under Heckingbottom.

Structure defended

It’s been a topic of debate around the club of late, as something mentioned by the fan representative groups in their open letter to the chairman. There was a defence of PNE’s club structure in the latest comments though, with it described as ‘streamlined’. The interesting point, clearly, being that this was cited as an advantage for North End - as they aim to compete in a ‘ever complex and data-driven world of scouting new football talent’.

Granted, there can be too many voices in a football club - that is something the current manager has voiced in the press, given his experience elsewhere. But, to outline the way modern football is going and then imply North End are better off for not following suit, is quite a stance to take. Especially, when data plays such a pivotal role in player recruitment - something, in the same piece, PNE’s chairman made clear the club aims to benefit more from, financially.