Preston North End players sharpen their focus on pre-season return with fitness workouts in the sun

Preston North End’s squad report back for pre-season training towards the end of the month but maintaining a high level of fitness is never far from the players’ minds.
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Players are encouraged to get some rest during the summer break but the demands of the modern game mean it’s not a case of rolling off the sun lounger and straight into training on June 27.

Ryan Ledson and Brad Potts are currently doing fitness work at a fitness academy in Dubai, with the pair posting photographs on social media Instagram of them being put through their paces.

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Similarly, Sean Maguire attended a fitness facility in Mykonos earlier in the summer break, the Irish striker keeping himself in shape for the season ahead.

Preston North End's Ryan Ledson and Brad PottsPreston North End's Ryan Ledson and Brad Potts
Preston North End's Ryan Ledson and Brad Potts

Bambo Diaby was pictured in Spain doing work outs before returning to North End last week to sign his new two-year contract. The defender used a fitness academy in Barcelona to stay in peak fitness during his anti-doping ban from the game.

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Gone are the days when footballers spend the majority of pre-season working off the excesses of the summer holidays.

They are expected to report back in tip-top shape to go straight into the match conditioning and football work.

Preston North End's Ryan Ledson and Brad Potts warm-up before the game at Stoke in JanuaryPreston North End's Ryan Ledson and Brad Potts warm-up before the game at Stoke in January
Preston North End's Ryan Ledson and Brad Potts warm-up before the game at Stoke in January
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Midfielder Ledson will be keen to make up for lost time when pre-season starts, hence the work he’s currently doing in Dubai.

The 24-year-old had keyhole clean-up surgery on his knee in March and was initially ruled out for the remainder of last season.

However, he made a return to full training during the final week and made the bench for the last game of the campaign against Middlesbrough, coming on as a late substitute in the 4-1 victory.

It’s a big season ahead for Ledson, with plenty of competition in midfield.

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While he has in the main played as a holding midfielder, North End manager Ryan Lowe thinks Ledson has plenty to offer in a more attacking role too.

The competition comes in the form of Ben Whiteman, Alan Browne, Daniel Johnson and Ali McCann, while there’s also the chance Lowe will look to add more creativity.

McCann and Johnson finished the season strongly – Johnson playing the last two games at left wing-back. But it will be in midfield where the Jamaica international will operate in the campaign ahead.