It promises to be a busy summer transfer window at Preston North End

Preston North End have 12 league matches left to take care of and a bumper FA Cup tie against rivals Burnley yet.

The final few months of the season tend to fly by though and naturally - with odds of a mid-table finish looking particularly strong - attention starts to turn to the summer. That is by no means writing off the 2024/25 campaign before March, but June to August will be a particularly intriguing period for PNE.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom has been very open about the change anticipated, while CEO Peter Ridsdale suggested there could be 10 new additions in the transfer window. It’s something the North End boss didn’t have the luxury of this season, having been appointed towards the end of August.

Four loan players will return to their parent clubs in Jayden Meghoma, Ryan Porteous, Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Sam Greenwood. It would be a surprise if Preston didn’t try to bring at least one of those back to the club next year but time will tell with regards to that.

And, at the time of writing, there are seven senior players set to leave PNE on a free: Freddie Woodman, Ryan Ledson, Duane Holmes, Robbie Brady, Emil Riis, Patrick Bauer and Ched Evans. Youngster Kian Best, currently out on loan at Bohemians, is in the same boat - as is Josh Seary.

There are no guarantees any of the players out on loan at the moment will be in the North End first team picture next season - seven-figure signing Jeppe Okkels probably the most likely of any. In short, Preston - as things stand - will lose at least 10 players who are in the fold on match day.

It would, mind, be a surprise if no new contracts were given out. Ledson has been praised by both Heckingbottom and assistant Stuart McCall, while the number 18 has been vocal about wanting to stay and gained more minutes of late.

Clearly, though, lots of gaps in the squad will need filling. Wide areas must be a priority and it remains to be seen how Preston will approach that. Earlier this season Heckingbottom admitted he would like to play with wingers, but that a wing-back system suits this current squad best.

Kesler-Hayden and Meghoma heading back will leave PNE short of full-backs regardless, so two of those will be required. As proven in previous windows it is not easy finding suitable players for wing-back, a position which requires speed, durability and top athleticism.

Centre-back and centre-midfield is fairly well stocked but new recruits cannot be off the cards with Bauer, Porteous, Holmes, Ledson and Greenwood all potentially departing. There was loan interest in Jack Whatmough towards the end of the latest transfer too, which may always resurface.

With Woodman and Riis yet to pen fresh terms a new goalkeeper and striker could come through the door as well. There is, then, absolutely potential for additions in all four departments of the squad. As for 10 new signings?

It would be some overhaul in one window but one goalkeeper, one centre-back, two full-backs, one midfielder and three attackers certainly looks realistic. Unless a player sale transpires in the summer, though, Preston will have to work smarter than ever to get the right ones in the building and give Heckingbottom the best chance of taking the team forward.