Preston North End's search for a new shot-stopper has seemingly led them to Freddie Woodman at Newcastle - and whilst a deal looks like it could be on, LancsLive reporter George Hodgson has claimed there is nothing 'overly close' for the player yet.

PNE have seen four goalkeepers depart the side since last season, with Daniel Iversen heading back to Leicester, Declan Rudd retiring and Connor Ripley and Matthew Hudson being released.

It means that, as things stand, there is not a current first-team goalkeeper at Deepdale. The Championship side do have options in their reserve side when it comes to shot-stoppers but there are no other names currently at the club. Adding some to their ranks is a priority then and one name linked with a switch is Freddie Woodman.

Football Insider suggest a short-term move could be on the cards and that could then lead to a more permanent arrangement later on down the line.

That would give Preston a new first-team goalkeeper straight away - but a fresh update from LancsLive journalist George Hodgson has revealed that whilst a deal does look to be on the cards, there is nothing too close for the player yet.

That means that, whilst he certainly appears to be a target, they may be a while off making anything official or even thinking about getting a deal over the line yet.

The club's hopes of bringing in Daniel Iversen as an option again have also taken a blow, with the Leicester player seemingly also set to stay with the Foxes - and that means he could be a first-team option for the side in their next campaign.

Woodman though, if he is available, could be a more than adequate replacement. The 25-year-old managed 45 appearances last time he was in the Championship with Bournemouth and really stood out, keeping 20 clean sheets along the way. Prior to that, he managed a further 12 in 43 outings.

The Verdict

Freddie Woodman would be a superb first signing of the summer for Preston North End, with the goalkeeper showing plenty of signs that he could be a really top shot-stopper in the second tier.

His previous record in the division shows that he can be at the top of his game in the Championship and he would really help PNE to solidify their defence. He is experienced, young and has the potential to get even better too, so a move ticks a lot of boxes for boss Ryan Lowe at Deepdale.

The type of deal should also have Preston fans beaming if it does go through. A loan deal would allow the club to look him over for the 2022/23 season and see how he fares in the Championship - and if they do like what they see, it appears as though they could end up bringing him in permanently at the end of that initial deal.

A transfer for the player then looks like a really good bit of business from Preston - and a real statement of intent to boot.