Preston North End are currently on the lookout for a new right-back due to injuries in that position during pre-season.
Starting RB Calum Woods (who can also play at LB and fill in at CB) suffered an unfortunate injury in pre-season that has ruled him out for the entirety of the 2016/17 campaign.
It’s bad news for the Lilywhites, as it leaves them short in defence and primarily in that position. Only Liam Grimshaw, Tom Clarke and Chris Humphrey could currently play there but all three are not natural right-backs. Humphrey works better as a RM or a RWB, while Tom Clarke’s main position is at CB.
As for Liam Grimshaw, he has filled in at the RB slot for the last few weeks but the signs are there that he might be better off playing in his other preferred position of CDM/CM.
With only two days left until the end of the transfer window, PNE are still looking to bring in a right-back: the question is, who will they bring in to help them in that area?
Here are five potential RB signings for the Lilywhites. (Note: These five players have not all necessarily been linked with a move to Deepdale).
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Nathan Byrne
Byrne has already been linked with a move to Deepdale this season, with Wigan and Brentford also believed to be keen on a deal for the Wolves man.
The 24-year old made 30 appearances at Molineux last season but didn’t really have the desired impact that he would have wanted after making the move from Swindon. This season, he has yet to play a game for Wolves and with gametime seemingly set to be in short supply for the right-back, a move away could be an option.
He would be a good fit for Preston, as he certainly has a lot of pace about him. It is something the Lilywhites have lacked at times so far this season and as a natural right-back, he would slot right in. He impressed many at Swindon back in League 1 including PNE, who faced them in the Play-Off final.
Byrne would be a good addition to the squad and wouldn’t set Preston back too much in terms of a fee but they would face competition for his signature – so it wouldn’t be too easy to land him.
2. Marnick Vermijl
Vermijl is another option for PNE. He spent last season on loan with the Lilywhites and made 32 appearances for the club in total, bagging two goals along the way. He impressed quite a few of the Preston faithful and he clearly also impressed several people at the club, as PNE were linked with another move for the right-back earlier this summer.
However, since those original reports, nothing has materialised. Sheffield Wednesday were reportedly hoping to keep hold of the 24-year old this season so that they had backup in that position but, with the player having only featured once so far this season, he could try and push through another loan move to Preston or even a permanent move to the club to secure some more first-team football.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Simon Grayson has gone on to re-sign a player that the club has previously had on loan either – Paul Gallagher, Eoin Doyle, Callum Robinson and Anders Lindegaard have all signed permanent deals at Deepdale after originally joining on loan. Therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we did see Vermijl back in Preston colours soon.
3. Connor Randall
Randall has only recently been linked with a switch to Preston but, with the window coming to a close and with the latest reports claiming a deal is on the cards, he could be the right-back that Preston bring in.
He would only be available on a loan deal but a deal could suit both clubs – Liverpool want him to gain some much needed first-team action, which he currently wouldn’t get at Anfield, while PNE are desperate to bring in a new right-back and could provide him with consistent gametime.
Randall would also bring some Premier League experience to the Deepdale side – he has featured three times for Liverpool in the Premier League before and has also featured for the Reds in the cup competitions as well.
At just 20-years old, he is still only young and if Preston do secure a deal for him. they’ll be hoping they can bring out the best in him and help him start to reach his potential.
4. Ryan Taylor
Taylor has already spent some time on trial with Wigan Athletic so far this summer and therefore, a lot of reports have linked him with a move to the DW Stadium.
However, he was spotted training with the Lilywhites a few weeks ago and it has led to some people suggesting that he could be the right-back that Simon Grayson brings in – and it wouldn’t surprise me if he did end up at PNE.
He is currently a free agent, meaning that Preston could sign him for absolutely nothing – something that would be a boost to Simon Grayson, who hasn’t got the biggest budget.
In addition, he brings Premier League experience from his time at Newcastle, Wigan and Hull and although he is now 32-years old, there is no doubt he could still bring something to the squad.
The only issue could be his previous trouble with injuries – Taylor has spent a large amount of his career sat on the sidelines with injury and it’s something that PNE would have to consider if they do make a move for him. Would he be fit enough to feature in a long run of games? Is there a high risk of him re-injuring himself? It would be no good signing Taylor, only to have him get injured within the first few games after the transfer window closes, especially with the fact that there is no more emergency loan window.
But, if he is fit and can that the injuries that plagued him are now behind him, he could offer a good option for the Lilywhites in that right-back position.
5. Tendayi Darikwa
Finally, there is Tendayi Darikwa. Preston have long been linked with the signing of the 24-year old and were close to sealing a move for the defender before he turned them down and instead moved to Burnley.
However, since his move to Turf Moor, he – like Byrne – has struggled to make the impact that he would have liked. He featured in just 24 games for the club last season and this year he has featured just once in the cup.
With Burnley now in the top flight too and able to bring in some new faces with the money they gained from promotion and from TV rights, they could sell Darikwa and easily find a suitable replacement.
But, with only two days left of the transfer window, would they really risk letting go of Darikwa and trying to find a suitable replacement in the next 48 hours?
If Preston make a bid, then we could find out the answer to that question, as it could tempt them to let go of him. He could be available for quite cheap – a few hundred thousand pound could see the Clarets let go of him – and with the player currently having to sit on the bench, he could jump at the chance for more first-team football at Deepdale.
The 24-year old likes to dribble down the wing and cross, something which would suit Preston’s game nicely. If he signs, it could be a good match for both club and player.
Potential Free Agent Additions
As a bit of a bonus, I’ve scoured the current list of right-back free agents, to see who is currently available for the Lilywhites to sign. PNE do have to work on a budget and they don’t have a lot of money to spend, so they could end up turning to either a loan – like Randall – or someone who is available for absolutely nothing. Here are my picks of who is currently available on a free… (Note: I should mention none of these players have actually been linked and some could be seen as slightly unrealistic)
Joey O’Brien – Despite being aged 30, he would be a decent signing for the Lilywhites. He spent a lot of his career at Bolton and West Ham and therefore has a wealth of Premier League experience. The only potential stumbling block could be wages – a player who has played in the top tier for most of his life might not fancy a drop down a league or a drop down in wages either.
Reece Wabara – The former Wigan Athletic man has had a bit of an up and down career so far. The Man City youth product has gone up and down the leagues on various loan spells and permanent deals, never really settling or establishing himself as a top player. His best time arguably came at Doncaster – it was where he played the most games and had the most impact. Since then though, he has had two forgettable spells at Barnsley and Wigan. A move to Preston and some regular gametime could help the 24-year old find his feet and some of his best football though.
Frazer Richardson – Richardson is still on the lookout for a new club after leaving Rotherham. He, like Wabara and O’Brien, has a ton of experience that he could bring to Deepdale. That experience could help the Lilywhites battle in the Championship and battle at the right end of the table too. However, at age 33, he might not be the type of signing that Simon Grayson wants. The manager has previously hinted that he was looking to bring in younger players and therefore Richardson would not fit into that bracket.
Jordan Spence – The 26-year old is a product of the West Ham academy and he was most recently at MK Dons. He’s another player who has travelled up and down the league on several different loan spells at Bristol City, Scunthorpe, Sheffield Wednesday, Leyton Orient and MK Dons before making a permanent move there. He’s about to enter some of the prime years of his career and although his last few loan spells haven’t been too fantastic, he’ll no doubt want to get back into football and would jump at the chance to impress at Preston. Give him a chance to prove his worth and he could prove to be a good signing. However, like with most of these free agents, he would be a bit of a risk and Simon Grayson might prefer to sign more proven alternatives for a fee or on loan.
