Preston North End squad numbers available to Thierry Small and new signings for 2025/26 season
The 2025/26 season is Paul Heckingbottom's first full campaign at PNE
Preston North End have made four signings so far this summer.
The transfer window has reopened after a brief pause due to the Club World Cup. At Deepdale, incoming business has not been in short supply and manager Paul Heckingbottom will be looking to bolster his squad further before September 1.
North End kicked things off with a swoop for Northern Ireland midfielder Jordan Thompson, following his release from Stoke City. A second free transfer swoop saw PNE return for previous loan star, Daniel Iversen.
The Dane has signed a four-year contract at Preston after Leicester City opted against extending his contract. Departing Sheffield Wednesday full-back Pol Valentin was the third free agent to make the move to North End.
PNE then made, arguably, their most exciting addition as they secured the signature of Thierry Small. The 20-year-old joined North End instead of signing fresh terms at newly-promoted Charlton Athletic.
Supporters will be excited to watch the new men over the course of pre-season, and one area of interest is always which kit numbers they will take. Taking into consideration those who left PNE this summer, we look at the possible options for the quartet.
Possible squad numbers for new signings
Freddie Woodman (1), Emil Riis (9), Ched Evans (12), Layton Stewart (17), Ryan Ledson (18), Duane Holmes (25), Kian Taylor (30) and Kian Best (33) are all gone from last season’s playing squad.
The same goes for loan men Ryan Porteous (2), Jayden Meghoma (3), Sam Greenwood (20), Kaine Kesler-Hayden (29) and Josh Bowler (40). Daniel Iversen was number 12 and 22 at PNE previously, but is the clear candidate to take the vacant No.1 shirt.
Jordan Thompson wore 15 at Stoke City, Pol Valentin was Sheffield Wednesday’s number 14 and Thierry Small wore 26 for Charlton Athletic. Thompson and Small could keep their numbers, but Jordan Storey has been 14 at Preston since 2018.
It’s also entirely possible that current members of Heckingbottom’s squad could change, ahead of the new campaign. Last summer, Ali McCann switched from 13 to 8, Ched Evans went from nine to 12 and Jack Whatmough swapped 26 for five.
Available squad numbers as things stand at PNE: 1, 2, 3, 9, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45+
Your next PNE read: Jason Euell's first words after joining Preston North End