Preston North End to go down the loan option in search for a first-choice goalkeeper

Preston North End will go down their trusted loan route for a No.1 goalkeeper this summer.
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Having hired help between the posts has worked well for the Lilywhites in recent years and there’s plenty of keeper talent available at Premier League clubs.

Daniel Iversen has just finished a season-and-a-half loan stint from Leicester City, with the Dane now looking to take the next step of his career elsewhere.

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He has big gloves to fill at Deepdale so North End will have to choose carefully who they see as being their first-choice keeper in the 2022/23 campaign.

Preston North End manager Ryan LowePreston North End manager Ryan Lowe
Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe

Iversen, Jordan Pickford and Sam Johnstone have been loanees at PNE, with Declan Rudd having 18 months on loan before eventually returning as a permanent signing.

North End are starting from scratch as far as the goalkeeping department is concerned this summer.

Connor Ripley and Mathew Hudson were released the other week ahead of the end of their contracts in June, with Rudd having retired because of a knee injury in April.

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Hull City goalkeeper Matt Ingram in action against Preston North End in FebruaryHull City goalkeeper Matt Ingram in action against Preston North End in February
Hull City goalkeeper Matt Ingram in action against Preston North End in February
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If their first-choice is to be a loan, it’s likely that the back-up with be a permanent signing, with PNE manager Ryan Lowe and keeper coach Mike Pollitt having to decide whether to sign a third-choice as well or have promising academy keeper James Pradic doing that job.

There is some flexibility if injuries were to hit the keepers, with EFL rules permitting emergency loans outside of the transfer window.

Last week, Hull City keeper Matt Ingram was linked as a possible target of North End.

However, club sources say Ingram is not a keeper who has been discussed as a potential target at this point.

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Ingram was Hull’s first-choice keeper for a chunk of the season just finished – losing his place in November to Chelsea loanee Nathan Baxter before regaining it in time to face PNE in February.

He stayed as first-choice until mid-April before finishing the season on an emergency loan at Luton, featuring in the play-offs.

While Ingram was coming to the end of his contract, Hull last week triggered an option for a further 12 months on him.

Luton and Blackpool have also been credited with an interest in him, which might suggest interest is being drummed up in him by an agent.