Swedish club reportedly make transfer decision over Preston North End man after Aberdeen loan
The winger spent the second half of last season on loan at Aberdeen
Swedish side Djurgårdens have opted against signing Preston North End winger Jeppe Okkels, according to reports.
The Danish winger returns to Deepdale this summer following a loan spell at Aberdeen which saw him make 16 appearances - Okkels scored one goal and assisted another for the Dons. News outlet Sportbladet (paywall) have suggested that the Allsvenskan club expressed an interest, but chose not to proceed with a deal.
That is said to be due to ‘several factors’, including Okkels not suiting the structure which new head coach Jani Honkavaara plans to use. The Lancashire Post understands that PNE did hold discussions with another club, regarding Okkels, but it went no further than that - which matches up with the reports around Djurgårdens.
It has been a turbulent 18 months for the 25-year-old, who is contracted until 2027 at Deepdale. Okkels joined Preston last summer after just five months at Dutch club FC Utrecht. The fee was reportedly £1.7million, though North End CEO Peter Ridsdale stated it to be lower than that.
Ryan Lowe was in charge at the time of negotiations but he officially left one day before the Dane signed. The No.23 made one appearance under interim boss Mike Marsh, and then nine for current manager Paul Heckingbottom. Three of those were starts, against Middlesbrough in the league and versus Harrogate and Arsenal in the EFL Cup.
Okkels, four-or-so months after joining PNE, was then on the move again. Scottish Premiership outfit Aberdeen landed him on loan, in a deal which saw Okkels reunite with old manager Jimmy Thelin - whom he shone under for Elfsborg. The Dons opted against triggering their buy-option - believed to be in the £1m region - after the loan.
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