Two Signings That Can Help Preston Put Up A Serious Fight For Promotion Next Season
Despite finishing the season with somewhat of a whimper, Preston North End have done very well this season with what they’ve got. Players like Tom Clarke and Alan Browne have surprised many, but ultimately Preston have proven to be just below play-off grade.
Having been part of the upper echelons of Championship football before, it’s certainly not beyond Preston to play a part in the promotion race next season. Here we look at two players who could be crucial to Preston’s promotion chances next season:
Aiden McGeady
The on-loan Everton man was voted by the fans as Preston’s player of the year and appears to have lost none of his ability. Having been frustrated by a lack of playing time at both Everton and Sheffield Wednesday, McGeady has flourished this season and has repaid Simon Grayson’s faith with 8 goals and 9 assists from 33 games from out wide.
His record is superb and he still has plenty more to give, but where he gives it is the question. For his part, McGeady has stated that he would like to return to Deepdale but the final decision will not be his. A lot depends on what sort of fee Everton would look for as the player is under contract for another year at Goodison Park.
In terms of out-and-out ability, McGeady is better than just about any other player Preston could realistically attract and so signing him on a permanent basis would be a major coup.
Declan Rudd
Preston’s signings need to be canny, and a re-signing of their former loanee from Norwich would represent a very good acquisition.
Chris Maxwell has played most of Preston’s games in goal this season but the jury is out on whether he will be good enough to be their last line of defence in a promotion season. Ex-Man United stopper Anders Lindegaard has been a disappointment too, so goalkeeping reinforcements will be needed.
Rudd has spent time at Preston before and now needs to be a permanent number one after nine years on the periphery at Carrow Road. The talented former England under-21 ‘keeper has spent this season in League One on loan at Charlton and has done very well. But he deserves to be at a higher level.
His contract at Norwich City expires at the end of June and so nabbing a goalkeeper of this quality for nothing would be a great move by Simon Grayson.
