Ryan Lowe outlines transfer Plan B for Preston North End as Tom Cannon deal in doubt

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe says Plan B in the transfer window would see the club target up to three attacking players.

The Lilywhites have five days left to build on their summer business of six signings. Attacking reinforcements are the priority, with PNE low on numbers in the striking department. Everton forward Tom Cannon has been North End’s primary target all summer, but a deal for last season’s loan star looks increasingly doubtful.

Preston’s loan offer is still on the table, but the Toffees appear to be exploring the option of a permanent sale in the region of £5-7million. North End have been waiting to get the green light from Everton all window and Cannon, by all accounts, has been keen to head back to Deepdale for another loan stay.

But, with transfer deadline day approaching and the window set to close at 11pm on Friday, North End are pressing on with other targets given the state of play with Cannon. Preston are casting their eye overseas as well as domestically, with Lowe reinforcing the point that there are funds available for North End to spend.

“If I don’t get one I might get two or three, which might benefit us along the run,” said Lowe after Saturday’s win over Swansea. “So, I am quite calm and relaxed on it. We are fine; we’re doing the work behind the scenes. We don’t need two or three strikers do we? If we can’t get the main striker, we’ll get one striker and two attacking players.

“Whether that is eights, or tens, or wingers - it might be a striker and one more or maybe two more. We’ve got a pot of money that we can use, so if that pot goes on one person it goes on one. If that person doesn’t become available, it might be beneficial to go on maybe two. So that’s what it would probably look like.”