Preston North End's dream finish to the transfer window with further January business needed

One in and two out is the story so far of Preston North End’s January transfer window.

Needless to say, there will be disappointment if it finishes that way. Good news, then, that three weeks remain for the Lilywhites to wheel and deal - albeit you would rather business be done as early as possible, with five games to play before the window closes on February 3.

PNE did manage to get their one through the door quickly, with Lewis Gibson arriving on a permanent deal from Plymouth Argyle. North End were alive to the versatile defender’s release clause reducing in 2025 and had the deal wrapped up three days into the window.

Investment in Preston’s central defence certainly felt overdue and the £1.5million+ spent to recruit Gibson represents exactly that. That is not big money in this day and age but still a pretty hefty outlay for PNE - especially with the lack of recent player sales at Deepdale.

Jeppe Okkels and Layton Stewart have both been loaned out with manager Paul Heckingbottom having explained those decisions last week. It goes without saying that sending out a player with a buy-option, five months after signing them for a reported £1.7million, is not a good look whatsoever.

What next, then? It’s been reported that PNE’s focus is now on signing a left wing-back. Okkels wasn’t playing much anyway but has left the building, while Robbie Brady has had a couple of injury blows in recent months.

Kaine Kesler-Hayden has more than done a job but is a player the boss wants to move over to the opposite side. North End are after a left footer to play on that flank; someone with similar athleticism levels to the Aston Villa loan star would be more than welcomed.

As shown in previous transfer windows it is not easy whatsoever recruiting ‘wing-backs’. Heckingbottom has suggested he’d like to operate with wingers long-term and his system has certainly been more fluid to date, but Preston appear to be in a familiar boat at present.

Elsewhere, an addition to the forward line would be a boost. North End have recruited added firepower effectively at this stage of the season before. Will Keane, Milutin Osmajic and Emil Riis are three solid enough options but a fourth would add another string to PNE’s bow.

There is plenty of power and experience in Preston’s forward trio. Two profiles Preston don’t really have spring to mind, though. One of those is a target man: a genuine threat in the air and option to turn the ball up to. Heckingbottom has spoken about improving the team’s threat from set-pieces, too.

The other is a sharp, agile striker who can dribble at defenders and work room in tight space. Osmajic and Riis prefer having space to exploit and grass to run into. Keane can be cute and clever inside the box but isn’t best suited to covering big distances or one-v-one situations.

Goalkeeper is a third position to potentially look at, although that may well wait until the summer. Right now the future of Freddie Woodman is up in the air with his contract set to expire in six months. A shot-stopper to really compete with him for a starting spot would still be good to see.

This is an interesting window, though, given the position North End find themselves in. It wasn’t long ago people were looking over their shoulders so Preston definitely can’t get comfortable, but the chances of them troubling either end of the table look slim as things stand.

A decent fee has been spent to sign Gibson and Heckingbottom has implied the loan market is now very much being looked at. Unless options-to-buy are inserted, or PNE strike gold like with Sepp van den Berg and Daniel Iversen, then any loan acquisitions aren’t going to have long at all to make an impact.

And the ideal situation, with those deals, would be to help the team either push for promotion or pull away from danger. Otherwise, it’s just another club’s player developing and North End’s XI being slightly stronger for a few months. Then the search starts again.

Granted, a strong second half to the season and higher placed finish could make Preston look a more appealing club to join in the summer. But really, you would hope talented loan players can take you into the play-off picture or out of the drop zone - not from 15th to 11th.

On the topic of loan players, a ‘dream’ transfer window would of course feature a permanent deal being agreed for Sam Greenwood - but the Leeds United loan man will surely wait until the summer to assess his options.

Of the many players to be linked with Preston, speculation around Joe Low looks to have the most credibility. He is out of contract at Wycombe in the summer and at the age of 22 would be another positive addition to the defence, on paper. An exit may be required to make that possible now, mind.

As for outgoings it would be a blow to lose Emil Riis on a free transfer, so agreeing fresh terms with the Dane should be a priority. Preston want to get Kian Best out on loan; the defender needs game time but nothing has transpired on that front as of yet.

And one way or another, the Josh Bowler situation needs resolving. Heckingbottom’s latest update on the Nottingham Forest man was blatantly more coy than previous. It is not great, for any party, to have a player in camp who doesn’t really know where they stand.