PNE have four players on loan this season

Preston North End assistant boss Stuart McCall won’t be getting his hopes up over a permanent swoop for any of this season’s loan stars.

Daniel Jebbison (AFC Bournemouth), Alfie Devine (Tottenham Hotspur), Lewis Dobbin (Aston Villa) and Harrison Armstrong (Everton) are all at Deepdale on temporary deals this campaign.

The quartet have been getting regular minutes in the team and contributed a combined 13 goals. McCall was asked last week if he thinks there could be an opportunity to buy any of the four permanently, further down the line.

Or, if it best to accept any in-form loan players will prove difficult to buy outright. It is a position PNE have found themselves in several times in previous seasons, with loan stars going on to command sizable fees after their spells at Preston.

“Yeah, I think over the piece... I can go back to my Sheffield United days when we obviously liked Morgan Gibbs-White, and there was never going to be a chance there,” said McCall. “Tommy Doyle was slightly different but we didn't have the money at the time - I think it was £5m, Tommy. And (James McAtee) as well, we couldn't get them.

“But Kess (Kaine Kesler-Hayden) was the same last year. I think he ended up going to Coventry for £3million. I mean, Preston, if they're going to spend £3million - we certainly haven't recently and probably won't be (doing) in the near future - it won't be on a right back, or a right wing back.

“It'll be somebody who's going to be at the top end of the park. But yeah, you look at our lads... listen, I think you've got to learn just to enjoy them while you've got them. And you never know, but as long as they enjoy the time here.

“Sam Greenwood last year and Kess, they enjoyed their time here and that's all we can do. We give them a platform to go and produce the best and thankfully, at this moment, every one of our loans are doing that for us.”

As the saying goes, loan players do break the hearts of supporters when they move on at the end of seasons. Clearly, PNE are aiming to make it a year to remember - they sit third in the table currently. Nonetheless, losing four good ones all at once and needing to replace their quality is a daunting proposition. McCall, though, sees no issue with the blueprint and believes talent will always be on offer in that particular market.

“Well, I spoke to a couple of ex-managers at the beginning of the season, after the disappointing run we had last season,” said McCall. “Just saying about the squad, and we knew we didn't have any money to spend. But the key is getting good loans, and it always has been.

“You've just got to accept as fans, enjoy them while they're here and if it's such a good time and it came for another loan - not buy because you can have them for two years - then you always want to put yourself in that predicament.

“But no, the loan market, we waited a long time for Harrison. Obviously, we got Alfie through the door, Dobbo quite quick and Jebbo really quick, because we knew him. It can be gambles sometimes, but you've got to do your homework on them. We've certainly done that and thankfully, they're all proving to be very good at the moment.”

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