Just when Preston North End fans thought their transfer business was going quiet, a curveball gets thrown that perhaps no-one was really expecting.

Whilst North End's incoming business probably wasn't done, with a striker and right wing-back still on the agenda for Ryan Lowe, the outgoing deals were only ever likely to be fringe players.

However, Middlesbrough have now given the Lilywhites a big decision to make when it comes to last season's talisman Emil Riis.

As first revealed by Football League World, the Teessiders have lodged an enquiry for the uncapped Dane as they search for a big-money striker after seeing their pursuit of Norway international Jorgen Strand Larsen become difficult.

 

 

 

 

That has been followed up by The Sun's Alan Nixon, who believes a major bid is incoming by Boro for the services of Riis, with Chris Wilder very keen to bring him into the fold.

PNE's club statement on Tuesday afternoon didn't do much to dispel the thoughts that the club will cash in on him at the first opportunity, as they said that they have 'not currently received any acceptable offers for any of our players'.

The wording of it certainly suggests that if an offer that suits North End and meets their valuation of Riis comes in - whatever that may be - then he could be departing from Deepdale in the near future.

It's clear that Middlesbrough have money, as evidenced with their bids for Strand Larsen, and the Lilywhites ideally do need to cash in on a player every season to break even.

Riis though is a player that can divide opinion, having had two polar-opposite seasons since his arrival from Randers in 2020.

The 24-year-old netted just twice in his debut season, but there were other performances in there that suggested that when the penny fully drops, the goals will well and truly flow.

Flow they did in 2021-22 - Riis scored 21 goals in all competitions and there were some screamers in there to boot, but he also did show at times that there's still a lot to learn in terms of his first touch, his general one-on-one finishing and at times his effort levels frustrated Ryan Lowe on the touchline.

Despite that, Riis was PNE's highest league scorer in the Championship with 17 goals since Ricardo Fuller netted the same amount in the 2003-04 season, and it was a goal more than Richard Cresswell bagged the following season.

He got himself into the right positions a lot last season and could produce something out of nothing, and at the age he is now he could still improve.

Is he indispensable though? You'd have to probably say no, and if PNE hold out for eight figures - north of £10 million - then they can do quite a bit with some of that money if it's re-invested.

That's easier said than done though when you look at what North End have done in the past - the sales of Jordan Hugill and Callum Robinson didn't see PNE immediately re-invest, in-fact it could be argued that the sale of Hugill on January deadline day cost North End the play-offs that very season having failed to get a replacement in.

There's the small possibility that things could have changed this time around though and Craig Hemmings may end up giving Ryan Lowe some money to play with if a sale is committed to.

The pursuit of fan favourite Callum Robinson from West Brom can be ramped up more, and North End can also explore a Riis replacement by going down the routes of two years ago when he arrived - a young, raw striker who can develop but already has some of the assets to be a top goalscorer in the second tier.

It will definitely be an unsettling time behind the scenes for Riis, but the hierarchy at Deepdale have a big decision to make - and if that offer of £10 million or more does come in, then do not be surprised if it is accepted.