Preston North End have been looking to try and ship out some players this month, with the squad at Deepdale fit to burst as things stand.

It will be positive news then to hear that Josh Harrop - a player who has struggled to get gametime in recent months and has even been left out of the 25-man squad - will now get to spend the second half of the season on loan at Fleetwood Town as confirmed by the club's official website.

It should allow for the former Man United man to finally get some regular action - and if he can help the Cod Army to seal safety in League One come the summer, could also land him either a move away on a permanent basis or more time and more games at Preston.

 

 

He's suffered with injuries in recent years and that has led to him spending a lot of time on the sidelines. With Harrop now back to full fitness though and ready to play, he could soon be back in competitive football on a more frequent basis with Fleetwood.

As the move has now been pushed through, the club's fans have taken to Twitter to react to the loan deal for Harrop.

The overriding feeling amongst fans is positive then - both in terms of the move and for the sake of the player. Harrop hasn't been able to play much and the Lilywhites' fans are well aware of a need to get him more action so he can continue to develop and Fleetwood should allow him plenty of more regular football.

The Verdict

Josh Harrop has looked bright at times and that's what makes it so frustrating for Preston fans to see him suffer injuries and fail to make an impact at Deepdale.

There was a spell in the side when he looked superb and looked like he had the potential to be a really solid player at Championship level. However, it was injury that curtailed his progress and he has since fallen out of favour and out of the squad entirely.

It looked like new boss Ryan Lowe was prepared to potentially give him a chance in the squad since he took over, even letting him have a run out off the bench in a game. Harrop though isn't a guaranteed starter and with so many attacking midfield options - and the player not really tested as a wing-back - he would likely stay on the bench at Deepdale.

A move to Fleetwood then could benefit Preston in terms of getting the player action and attention, could allow the player to thrive and could give Fleetwood a real boost in their bid to stay up.