'Good investment' - Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers verdicts on Preston North End's new £1m signing

Preston North End’s new signing Andrew Moran has solid Championship experience under his belt.

The Lilywhites swooped in for the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder on transfer deadline day, securing his signature for a reported £1million fee plus add-ons. He has penned a three-and-a-half year contract at Deepdale, with the club holding an option to trigger that by a further 12 months.

Moran’s first loan away from the Seagulls was with PNE’s Lancashire neighbours, Blackburn Rovers. The Irishman scored four goals and provided nine assists for the Ewood Park club. Next season, he headed to Stoke City and scored the same number of goals, while assisting a further six.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom revealed PNE had been talking to Moran throughout the transfer window, and hailed it as a positive signing for the present but also the future. To get the lowdown on North End’s man, the Lancashire Post spoke to Stoke reporter, Pete Smith and Rovers reporter, Elliott Jackson.

“I’ve just looked back at what I wrote at the end of last season and that’s probably what I’d say again now,” said Smith. “He had too much responsibility thrust on his shoulders as injuries mounted over the course of the winter, in a struggling team, and that was hard. He’d benefit from being part of better-balanced side, physically as much as anything.

“He’s got a decent technique, a lot of energy and he can be part of quick play in the final third. He’s better suited to playing as a 10 than when he was used deeper in central midfield on an emergency basis.

“It was clear he was a hard-working, bright lad. It’ll be interesting if he can use his experience at Blackburn, Stoke and in LA, and show he knows how to get the best out of himself.

“That’s Moran, Iversen, Lindsay and Thompson now, as well as Dobbin, having gone to school next to Stoke’s training ground and been on the books for a while. It’s starting to turn around from when PNE fans were taunting Alex Neil about putting together North End Old Boys at the bet365.”

View from Ewood Park

”I think it's a good signing for Preston,” said Jackson. “I think it's a good investment in a young player. There's definite potential there. When Rovers had him he made a really good start to the season.

“He had some really bright performances at the start of the season but he was part of a recruitment strategy that was way too young, because of the financial issues that hit them that summer.

“He played loads at the start of the season, did really well and then he completely burned out by January and was barely playing after the new year. He didn't get much of a look in when John Eustace took over and was trying to keep the team up.

“So, Rovers didn't see the best of him in the second half of the season but I thought he was promising in the first. A nice lad, really down to earth... I see him as one of the number eights probably, in Preston's 3-5-2, probably similar to Alfie Devine in ways.

“He can carry the ball, he's got a little bit of pace; he's not a wide player although he has played there. I think in the 3-5-2 that Preston operate with, he should be pretty good as one of the number eights. It is a good age to sign him and yeah, I think it's a good addition for North End.”

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