Preston North End summer transfer planning advances as Paul Heckingbottom confirms budget clarity

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom now has clarity on this summer’s budget and a clearer picture of transfer window plans.

Having been appointed in late August the PNE manager is yet to experience a full pre-season and summer window at Deepdale. It is one which promises to be extremely busy, with up to 10 new signings potentially walking through the door - as per CEO Peter Ridsdale’s comments, as well as the boss.

“Yeah, spoke to Peter, just had a quick chat this morning but yeah, I know what that looks like now and what we need to do,” said Heckingbottom on Thursday. “The conversations will be going all the time but yeah, I think Peter knows... it's been really clear and we're at the point now where I get what that looks like.”

The North End chief has remained consistent regarding the players in the final few months of their contracts at the club. Heckingbottom reiterated that money was tied up in those deals and therefore any further decisions on futures would need to wait. Definitive answers to players should now follow suit.

“Some I've already spoken to, some I haven't,” said Heckingbottom. “Because, what's the point of me saying anything until I know in my mind? Part of my reason of thinking was always been: What is the best decision? What have we got to work with?

“These are the potential solutions... but we can't afford this one, or this one, I don't think it'll make us any better. So, until you have all the facts it's hard to make the best possible decisions going forward. But I think, yeah, I'm comfortable now with everything that we spoke about and where we're at.”

Freddie Woodman is one of the senior players up in the summer along with Robbie Brady, Ryan Ledson, Emil Riis, Patrick Bauer and Ched Evans. With the shot-stopper injured for the rest of the season, Heckingbottom confirmed he has had talks with the number one about his future. PNE’s manager has spoken glowingly about the group of players but admits it has to be a ruthless decision-making process.

“You can't have sentiment in it,” said Heckingbottom. “But likewise, there's no sentiment the other way. So that's why I say it's a natural part of football. As much as I'm saying for Preston as a football club it's an opportunity, for players it's an opportunity.

“So there could be players that we want to keep who don't want to be here, because they've got better opportunities. Then flip that the other way - there could be players who would love to stay here but we think we could potentially improve the squad by doing something different.”

One word continually used to describe the summer by Heckingbottom is ‘opportunity’. The prospect of recruiting up to 10 new players could be daunting, given so much change at once. However, the 47-year-old is excited by the prospect and thinks it has to be viewed in a positive light.

“One hundred percent, yeah,” said Heckingbottom. “Well, if it's done right and we get what we want then I'd be absolutely over the moon, delighted. We've got to try and force and make sure it happens. Definitely (a mix of deals). Listen, I want to spend some money; it's not my money.

“But yeah, it'd be a mixture of all those things. That's the plan... make our signings, buy some players that we think will improve us, be really clued into the best potential loans who can improve us. Amongst that, we want some of those to be assets as well.

“Because like I said, we want the success together and if we can improve then that's brilliant... we improve together. If not, there may come a point where a player moves beyond us but we get the financial benefits of it and then we reinvest that. So we've got to look at that and then 100 per cent, I can't see any way next season's squad doesn't include a couple of loans.”

“We just can’t lose it.”

As touched on, Heckingbottom has thoroughly enjoyed his time working with the squad this season and likes the feel to the group. Personality is one thing he is certainly big on, as well as leadership. Preston’s manager will be mindful of that throughout the summer recruitment.

“It can always improve but what we've got is really good characters here, who want to be here,” said Heckingbottom. “A good group, really honest, train hard, want to do well and we can't lose that. We just can't lose it. If anything, we've always got to try and improve that.

“So that's a big, big thing. We need good personalities here. So, some are going to go away and thrive in environments Elland Road, when they've got a few games left and they're going for the title and we're mid-table. So yeah, it’s people who thrive on that.”

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