'Ryan is the sort of player' - Watford man's transfer deadline day move to Preston North End explained

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Ryan Porteous was signed on transfer deadline day by PNE

Preston North End made their third signing of the transfer window on deadline day as Ryan Porteous arrived from Watford.

The Scotland international will spend the rest of the campaign on loan at Deepdale. PNE moved quickly to bring Porteous in after injury to first choice defender Jordan Storey. The 25-year-old has worked with boss Paul Heckingbottom before, at Hibernian.

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On the move, Porteous told the club website: “I’m looking forward to it. I think at the age I am now, I need a consistent run of games and a healthy environment. I feel that Preston can provide that right now. Hopefully I can add a good bit to the changing room and on the pitch as well.

Ryan PorteousRyan Porteous
Ryan Porteous | CameraSport - Stephen White

“It’s not like I've come here because I’ve not been playing games regularly; certain things happen in football and that's just the way it is. I come here having played a lot of games this season already and I'm ready to go.

“I’m delighted. It’s all come about quite fast. When the manager spoke to me, having worked with him before at Hibs, I was pretty sure that I was going to come here. I'm really looking forward to the consistent games and really knuckling down here and trying to bring success to the football club.”

Here, Watford reporter Andrew French gives us the lowdown on PNE’s new man...

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Are you surprised Porteous has been loaned out?

AF: ‘I am, and then I’m not. He’s been a regular since he signed two years ago, and after a slow start to this season he had got back some form. But Watford signed James Abankwah on loan from Udinese earlier in January, and he has looked good.

‘Mattie Pollock is first choice in the heart of defence, so Porteous was already battling with Fracisco Sierralta and Angelo Ogbonna for a place – and then Abankwah. Plus, Tom Cleverley started the season with three at the back but has started to play a four, so there are only two places up for grabs.”

How would you assess his two years at Watford so far?

AF: ‘He was very popular when he arrived, scored on his debut at Reading and fans latched onto his committed style. Last season he was pretty much a regular. Then in the summer he got sent off for Scotland against Germany in the opening game of the Euros.

‘That definitely affected him – he said so himself – and this season he suffered a dip in form and lost his place. He knuckled down and came back but, as I outlined above, he’s got others blocking his path.’

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What kind of defender are PNE getting?

AF: ‘Wholehearted. A player who gives his all, and battles on regardless. Ryan is the sort of player you’d want next to you in the trenches. He scores his fair share of goals for a defender too.

‘Does have a tendency to rush in sometimes, but he’s improved on that. Is a master of a bit of sh--thousery too! Thoroughly nice bloke who always gives good, considered answers to questions.’

‘The fact there is no option to buy suggests he has, plus Abankwah is only on loan.’

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