Preston North End and retained list deadline as 13 contract decisions to be confirmed

Preston North End’s season is done and dusted and one of the first things attention now turns to is the club’s retained list.

The Lilywhites will confirm in due course which players are leaving the club upon the expiry of their contracts this summer. EFL clubs, not competing in the play-offs, must inform players of final decisions no later than May 17 - PNE’s retained list was confirmed on that date last year. Clubs taking part in the play-offs have four days after their final match.

The EFL rulebook states: “Any club wishing to re-engage a contract player whose contract is due to expire on 30 June must, save as mentioned in Regulations 68.2.1 to 68.2.4 below, notify him in writing by the third Saturday in May in the final year of his contract whether or not they offer him terms of re engagement specifying (where applicable) such terms.

"The player must notify in writing the club holding his registration within one month of the date on which notification of the said terms of re-engagement was sent, whether or not he accepts their offer of re-engagement. If the player has not replied in writing to the club's offer of re-engagement by 30 June, the offer shall automatically lapse. In the case of an U24 player, the club's compensation rights shall not be affected.”

PNE out of contract this summer

The deals of Freddie Woodman, Robbie Brady, Ryan Ledson, Emil Riis, Ched Evans, Kian Best, Patrick Bauer, Josh Seary, Kacper Pasiek and Kian Taylor are up. The loan spells of Sam Greenwood, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Jayden Meghoma and Ryan Porteous will also conclude. After the final day of the season, manager Paul Heckingbottom discussed the loan quartet as well as Brady, Ledson and Riis.

As reported by the Lancashire Post, it’s understood that Seary and Pasiek have been offered extensions of varying lengths. Exits are anticipated for Woodman - who has been linked with Manchester United - Ledson, Riis and Bauer.

Time will tell with Brady’s future but the PNE boss has made it clear he’d like the Irishman to stay. Taylor confirmed last month that he will be moving on from his hometown club. Under-19s Cole McGhee, Kaedyn Kamara and Tommy Davis will also learn whether they are being kept on.

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