George Hodgson answers questions on Preston North End's summer transfer business to date and what else could be in store as preparations for the 2025-26 Championship season get under way.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to our Preston North End transfer talk show. My name is Mark McMahon
00:07and joining me today to discuss all the latest developments at Deepdale is the LEP's George
00:13Hudson. George will go straight into it. Two players signed already by Preston, Daniel
00:19Everson and Jordan Thompson. How happy will the North End fans be with the business so
00:25far? Yeah, I think it's a steady enough start. Obviously, goalkeeper was a massive one to
00:31just get sorted, I think, because Freddie Woodman had left and he'd played pretty much every
00:35game for sort of three years. So, yeah, I think that'll be a popular one with the fans because
00:40Daniel Everson's already got a connection with North End supporters and he was fantastic on
00:46loan and, you know, he comes back now permanently and hopefully he can rediscover that form.
00:50And then Thompson, I think, someone who Preston probably played against quite a lot over
00:56the last few years and sort of there was obviously natural comparisons to Ryan Ledson because he
01:02was the man going out and Thompson coming in and he's only one year older. So, I don't
01:06think the initial reaction was too positive. But people from Stoke seem to have good things
01:12to say about him and, you know, former coaches and things. So, seems like a hecking bottom
01:17type of player to me, hard-working and got left, obviously, a bit more balanced with him being
01:21left-footed and can maybe do a job out wide if needed. So, yeah, we'll see how he gets on. But,
01:27yeah, I don't think there's too much business getting done and you wouldn't say either of
01:31North End's two deals so far are bad, certainly not. Yeah, we all know Daniel Everson has been at
01:37the club before. Why were Preston keen to get him back here for a third time?
01:45I think he's shot-stopping, really. I think hecking bottom had made sort of murmurings
01:50around certain things going in too easily last season when his defence had protected the goalkeeper
01:55pretty well in the hole. And that's not a major dig at Freddie Woodman. He had a steady
01:59three years at North End as number one. But I got the impression the manager just wanted
02:04someone who can win in points in the other box with, you know, sort of terrific saves.
02:11And that is something Iverson did in his year and a half on loan a few years back. So, yeah,
02:17I'm sure I really spoke to people that worked with him and his teammates from that time.
02:22And they'll have said really good things and he's a really good character as well. So,
02:26sort of player in person and a free transfer probably made a lot of sense.
02:30Yeah. I know you talked about Jordan Thompson a wee bit there. Do you know what really he
02:33will bring to the team going forward next season?
02:37I think, I said he's sort of hecking bottoms type of player and I think trust is massive
02:42for him. I think his Sheffield United team was full of real solid players he could trust.
02:48He would sort of set the standard, be real top professionals, want to win. I think Thompson
02:54just strikes me as that. Obviously, it's not the most exciting signing in the world, but
02:57I think when North End needed to do a lot of business, there was going to be a few
03:01unglamorous freeze. And yeah, obviously, heck you want to most like him as a player.
03:06He'll bring a bit of grit and bite that was leaving with Ledson going. And he's an international
03:11player as well. He's played a lot for Northern Ireland. So, he'll know Ali McCann, which
03:15is a nice sort of combination already coming in in the midfield. And yeah, I just get the
03:21impression that he'll be sort of a steady Eddie and real good character around the place
03:25sort of thing.
03:26Okay. How important is it for Paul Hackenbottom to start stomping his authority on this team?
03:32Bernard Mendy, he inherited it from Amran Lowe last season?
03:39Yeah, massively. I think the formation hasn't changed, but it has a little bit. It's still
03:44playing with wing backs. But I think most Preston fans would agree that it was a lot more sort
03:47of fluid last season. At times there was bad days, but it was a little bit more watchable.
03:53But ultimately, he was pretty much working with the same group of players. I think he
03:59only bought Josh Bowler in the summer because he'd been brought in so late in the summer
04:03window. And then a few additions in January, Lewis Gibson is going to be a big player for
04:08him. But this is the time for him now to really make his mark on the squad if he can, which
04:12will be a mix of threes and some loans and hopefully some money spent as well. Yeah, it's
04:18going to be really important. And I get the impression he'll be really keen to do that.
04:21Before we talk money there, you mentioned that. Just before we do that, though, how much has
04:28Preston's flirtations with relegation last season prompted? One, an early start to transfer
04:36business and the overall picture for North End going forward transfer-wise?
04:41Yeah, I think it's a massive wake-up call, isn't it? Sort of kick up the backside. And it's frustrating
04:47because there's a bit of a belief around Preston that you only really get this sort of investment
04:52when they do flirt with relegation. So it'd be great to have seen a bit more of this when
04:58they were up pushing for the playoffs a few years ago. But yeah, they've got no choice
05:02now, really, with the players that have left, you know, loan players and free agents and
05:06stuff. So they need to get it right. And if they don't, they'll be down there again for
05:10me, regardless of Heckingbottom being a, you know, a solid manager in my eyes. And the
05:15league looks tough again. So not a bad start with the two signings that have come in, but
05:19there's so much more to do. And they'll have to use the loan market well. And I don't think
05:24they'll have bags of money to spend because they've not sold anyone for big money in recent
05:27years. So yeah, I'd be interested to see how they do it. But they need to.
05:31You say there's not bags of money to spend, but do you get the impression there may be
05:36more money than what there has been in previous years? Bear in mind how close North End came
05:42to relegation last season. Is there a greater sense within the board that we need to play
05:48a wee bit more money into the team?
05:51Yeah, I think Peter Ridgedale says a lot that the COVID year in terms of finances has dropped
05:56off in terms of the three-year cycle, which is obviously when there was less coming in.
06:00So that should benefit them a bit. But the fact remains, they've not sold anyone for
06:04like a decent fee for quite a while. So yeah, that would be a massive help if they had done
06:11that. And they might look to do this summer if any bids come in, which I can't really see.
06:15But I think you'll come on towards my itch, maybe something there, which would I'm sure
06:19be welcomed. To be fair, managers in recent years have been back pretty well at North End.
06:24Ryan Lowe signed quite a few players for about seven-figure fees, one point-something million,
06:30two or three times. My itch was 2.1 and then they went and got Lewis Gibson in January for
06:36around 1.5, I think. So yeah, they've been spending money by their standards. It's just
06:41not as much as what you see getting chucked around in the rest of the division. But yeah,
06:46we'll need a few more of them, hopefully.
06:47What do you think the future holds for us, Mike, seeing as you have mentioned them there?
06:52There was a wee bit of talk last week that Cadiz might have a 30% sell-on clause. There
06:57has been interest, Peter Rizzale admitted there has been interest in January, which is something
07:01that they laughed off. Do you see Preston North End next season, starting the season without
07:07that their guy up front?
07:10Yeah, I think they'd be welcoming offers, but I think they'd take something if it was
07:16offered to them. I don't think they're in a position to reject it, to be fair. There
07:20isn't that many in the squad you're looking at thinking, yeah, he might attract a decent
07:24bid. And regardless of all the controversy last season around us, Mike, he's shown he's
07:29a pretty ruthless finisher. So he may have suitors abroad, there's rumours of that and
07:34stuff. So, yeah, I don't think another championship club will buy him, but there might be clubs
07:39overseas looking. And if a bid were to come in, even if it was slightly more than they
07:43paid, I'd be surprised if they didn't accept it, even though Rhys has left and, you know,
07:47he'd leave his striking department a bit bare. He's got two years left on his contract and
07:52if you're not selling him now or in January for me, then you're just walking towards losing
07:56him for barely anything again. So, yeah, one to keep an eye on, I reckon.
08:00Is that not a scary proposition, though, losing both him and Emelry?
08:04Maybe this summer? Leaves a massive, massive hole up front, doesn't it?
08:08Yeah, I think Rhys will be missed more than people think. He came in for
08:11logistics last season and I get it. He was a bit frustrating at times, but he scored
08:16more league goals than Osmaiic and he's been a proven threat at the level for a few
08:19years. So, yeah, it would be pretty worrying, but the money would just have to go back
08:24into the kitty and you'd buy someone new. And I get the impression Heckingbottom will
08:29know exactly what he'll want in his striker and maybe have people in mind if that
08:34was to happen. So, it wouldn't be a worry for me too much, even though it's all in
08:38one position. I think you've got to be open. Clubs like Preston have got to be open
08:42to selling.
08:43Yeah. Obviously, your answer to this here depends on what happens in that situation.
08:48But a bit of a two-pronged question. How many players do you reckon Preston need this
08:52summer to have a good transfer window? And what areas do you believe needs fixing more
08:58than they are now? I think it was said sort of around the 10 mark before the summer started
09:05and that might have come down to nine, but it'll be at least eight, you would imagine.
09:09They lost four lone players, three or four left on threes and that's without even adding to
09:18what they had last season numbers-wise. So, yeah, pretty much every position. For me,
09:24it's in the final third. They don't create enough chances or score enough goals or have
09:30enough shots sort of thing. So, obviously, the contracts were given to all them defenders
09:34earlier this year, last season. And I imagine, you know, they've got Thompson in the midfield
09:41or a goalkeeper. Now, the focus will be getting people at the other end to make a bit of difference.
09:47But Kessel Hayden's obviously gone from last season. He was player of the year. So, whether
09:51it's a right-back or right-wing-back, they'll need to do that. But, yeah, final third wingers,
09:56attackers, people to create things because Sam Greenwood and Dwayne Holmes have gone as well
10:01from last season's squad. So, the gaps are clear, really.
10:05Yeah. Final one for me then, George. There's obviously been those links with Cody Drama.
10:10Hall apparently has said a £1 million asking price for him. Someone that press has seemed to be
10:15a wee bit reluctant to go. Do you reckon that there's still legs in that transfer or are Preston
10:23sort of looking elsewhere by now?
10:26Last I understood was they were just still, clubs were talking and sort of, not haggling,
10:32but debating over a fee and stuff. I'm sure Preston fans' gut will tell them that they
10:38don't get him in the end. Someone else will just come along and pay the fee or whatever
10:42and will lose out and have to go on to someone else. But it seems like there was appetite
10:46from the players' side to come to North End after a difficult first season at Hull,
10:51who obviously haven't got a manager yet, I don't think. So, I find that a bit of an interesting
10:55one. They might want to keep him until they get a manager in who they might want to keep him.
10:59So, yeah, I don't know. You would love it to just get done and you've got your
11:03Kessel Hayden replacement in because Heckingbott must be an admirer of him.
11:06But, yeah, I can see it dragging out and someone else signing in. But it would be a good one
11:11to get if he can do it. And a million pound, it's not massive, massive money, but I could
11:18understand him trying to get that down a little bit, given he wants to come. He didn't play
11:24much for Hull in the last 17 games. So, yeah, we'll see what happens. It would be a good
11:28one to get in. I wouldn't be surprised if he missed out, though. So, we'll see what happens.
11:33I'm also hearing rumours of Lewis O'Brien as well. I'm seeing rumours of Lewis O'Brien.
11:38That's a name that just doesn't seem to disappear when it comes to Preston O'Brien, does it?
11:41Yeah, it'll just get linked every window for the next five years or whatever and never
11:45come. But, yeah, I mean, I found it a bit weird because they were in for him in January
11:50and, by all accounts, the wages were quite significantly more than Preston pay for anyone,
11:56sort of late 20s and stuff. He went on loan to Swansea and, again, the manager clearly
12:01likes him and I'm not surprised because he's a classy midfielder, O'Brien. But with Thompson
12:06having come in, who's left-footed and nobody else having left because he's more of a deep
12:10player, I'd be really surprised if that got done. But, yeah, quality player. He'll probably
12:15go back to Swansea. Preston lose out to Swansea all the time. So, he'll probably just go there
12:19again.
12:20Hopefully not. Well, we're here, George. Thank you for your time. I know you're a very busy
12:24guy. Really appreciate it. We'll be back with these videos next week, too. Until then, see
12:30you there. Goodbye.
12:31Bye.
12:31Bye.
12:31Bye.
12:32Bye.
12:32Bye.
12:32Bye.
12:32Bye.
12:32Bye.
12:33Bye.
12:33Bye.
12:33Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:34Bye.
12:35Bye.