Preston North End want most of their transfer business done before heading to Spain

The Lilywhites see the trip which begins on July 8 as a realistic target date to have a decent number of new faces signed-up.

They hope to get a couple of deals done this week, with potentially more secured by the start of pre-season training on June 27.

But it’s the Spain trip which will real focus minds, the six-day visit to Alicante a chance for PNE manager Ryan Lowe to work intensely with the squad on the training pitch as well as the players getting a chance to bond.

It’s unlikely that all the business will done by then, with the transfer window open until September 1.

Any loan targets from Premier League clubs could have to wait further into pre-season, Cameron Archer an example of where PNE might have to be patient.

But if the bulk of the squad are on the flight to Spain, it will give Lowe plenty of time to work with them.

There’s only the Bamber Bridge friendly scheduled for before they leave, that taking place on July 2 at the end of the first week of training.

The next warm-up game will be at their Spanish training base before North End face Accrington Stanley on July 16, after their return from Spain.

They will then host Hearts at Deepdale on Wednesday July 20, with another home game pencilled in for July 23.

Hearts’ visit was fixed-up with PNE’s former head of recruitment Joe Savage who is now the Jambos’ sporting director.

On the recruitment front, North End have been linked with a number of players as talks took place with agents and clubs over potential moves.

For each position they want to strengthen, PNE have two or three different options, with them ideally landing their first-choices.

A right wing-back reportedly on the radar is Fulham’s Marlon Fossey who spent the second-half of the 2021/22 season on loan at Bolton.

The 23-year-old American made 16 starts for Wanderers before a knee injury halted his season in March.

Bolton were confident of landing him on a permanent transfer this summer but three Championship clubs – PNE said to be one of them – have emerged as potential suitors.

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