Preston North End make Ryan Ledson contract decision as future becomes clear for Oxford United-linked man

Preston North End midfielder Ryan Ledson is set to leave the club at the end of the season, the Lancashire Post understands.

Signed in the summer of 2018 from Oxford United, the midfielder has made 213 appearances for the Lilywhites - scoring seven goals and assisting a further 14. With Ledson’s deal up in the summer, his future at Deepdale remained uncertain.

But, it’s believed the midfielder was informed of the club’s decision over the last week and that he will move on to pastures new next season. In recent months the number 18 has spoken openly about his future in the media.

He said: “I absolutely love it here, everyone knows that. I've been here for seven years now and of course if anything happened, I'd love to stay. But if that's not the case then you've got to go and look after yourself.

“It's a short career obviously, but everyone knows how much this club means to me. I’ll keep myself fit as I can and I’ll try my best for this club until I'm told otherwise.”

Ledson won Player of the Year at Preston in the 2020/21 campaign and has worn the armband on a handful of occasions in recent seasons. In January, he was linked with former club Oxford, as well as Portsmouth.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom discussed Ledson’s situation earlier this season and said there was ‘every chance’ the 27-year-old remains on board at PNE. However, the North End boss has also regularly highlighted the fact summer budget is tied up in player wages.

Ledson is not the only senior player out of contract at the end of the year. North End have extended the deals of Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay and Andrew Hughes, but Freddie Woodman, Robbie Brady, Emil Riis, Patrick Bauer and Ched Evans are all up in the summer.

The former Everton man missed last weekend’s game at Leeds United with a hamstring issue. Heckingbottom expected him to be back in the fold by the penultimate game of the season, at home to Plymouth Argyle.