The January transfer window is fast approaching and for Preston North End it's bound to not be as busy a month as the 2021 equivalent was.

There was a major overhaul in the first month of this year with Ben Davies, Ben Pearson and Darnell Fisher and seven players arriving on loan, as well as the highly-regarded acquisition of Doncaster Rovers captain Ben Whiteman.

However there will be no need this coming January for such a big turnover of players, but there could be a few incomings and outgoings in a bid to strengthen PNE's potential chances of gaining a place in the Championship's top six by the end of the season.

Let's look at some potential January transfer talking points with just a month to go until the window re-opens.

 

 

 

 

Harrop exit?

He's not been seen whatsoever this season and this coming January could see Josh Harrop depart Preston North End again for game-time.

The ex-Manchester United man has been on the sidelines for a few months now, not even appearing in reserve games for PNE and he provided an update on his status this week saying he was working hard to get back fit.

If he is fit again in a month's time then the Lilywhites will surely be looking to loan him out to League One - a division where he ended up last season with Ipswich Town but he failed to impress.

Harrop was barely used by Alex Neil last season before his departure which makes the fresh contract he signed last summer a bit of a bizarre deal now, and he needs to probably leave to kick-start his career once again.

 

 

 

 

Souttar arrival?

According to the Daily Record, North End are one of a clutch of Championship clubs looking at Hearts centre-back John Souttar ahead of the January window.

They'd have stiff competition if that is true though with at least eight league rivals also interested as well as Celtic and Rangers north of the border, but the defence is somewhere that may have to be looked at.

That's because Patrick Bauer is yet to renew his contract beyond the end of this season and Souttar could be a potential replacement, although North End will absolutely not want to lose their German rock.

PNE probably don't possess some of the financial muscle anyway though compared to other Championship clubs looking at Souttar so it may be a non-starter.

New striker?

Despite Emil Riis finding his goalscoring boots this season and Ched Evans returning to action with two goals in as many games, there's still the sense that a fresh striker will be needed next month.

Sean Maguire whilst he has provided good link-up play this season isn't the force of old, whilst Scott Sinclair has looked a shadow of the player he was at Celtic and for parts of last season.

Connor Wickham's injury so soon after arriving at Deepdale didn't help matters either when PNE needed a physical player next to Riis up-front - Evans provides that now on his return but after a three month lay-off you couldn't fully trust him to stay fit on a long-term basis so North End could do with looking at another target man to bring in next month.