FORE CAST:The four Preston North End players we expect to defect in January
Preston North End have made a great start to the new Championship season, with FLW looking at potential Lilywhites players who could leave Deepdale in January.
Ryan Lowe’s side will be seeking for promotion to the Premier League this season after narrowly losing out on a play-off spot the previous season.
The Lilywhites finished the Championship in 12th place, six points behind the top six.
Last summer, the Lancashire club worked hard to enhance the team in order to close the gap on the top clubs in the second tier.
That hard work has paid off handsomely, with the team competing for automatic promotion spots in the early stages of current season.
Who is likely to leave Preston North End in the January transfer window?
The new year will provide the club with an opportunity to make additional changes to Lowe’s team in order to compete for a top-two finish.
However, some large departures from Deepdale are also possible.
Here we look at the players who could leave Preston in the winter market…
Ben Whiteman
Whiteman has been with North End since 2021, joining from Doncaster Rovers for a price of £1.6 million.
The midfielder is yet to start a game for PNE this season, owing to his rehabilitation from hernia surgery over the summer.
The 27-year-old is now back in the squad, but another concern has arisen: his contract is slated to expire at the end of the season.
If new conditions cannot be reached by January, North End may be forced to cash out.
Ben Woodburn
Woodburn is another player who has dropped down the Deepdale pecking order, having yet to start a league game for Lowe’s team this season.The Welshman made 38 appearances last season but has since become a backup option in attack.
The contract of the 23-year-old expires in the summer, but Preston have the option to extend it for another 12 months.
Given his lack of consistent game time, a January sale might be the best move for everyone.
Noah Mawene
Mawene is a promising young player who is aiming to get into the senior ranks.
Last December, the 18-year-old made his league debut for Preston, coming off the bench in a 4-1 triumph over rivals Blackburn Rovers.
He has only made one more appearance since then, a substitute appearance against Sheffield Wednesday in August.
A loan move in January could be the best way to help his development, since it would guarantee him more regular game time, even if it is at a League One or Two level.
Patrick Bauer
Bauer is another Preston player that has slid down Lowe’s pecking order.
The German is yet to play for the Championship side in the league this season, after only appearing six times the previous year.
Bauer’s contract is slated to expire in the summer, and an extension appears improbable following his return from a lengthy injury break.
If an offer comes in during the January transfer window, Preston should seriously consider accepting it, if only to get his salaries off the books a few months earlier.
