Five deals Preston could still complete in the final month of the transfer window

August 1st is here and that means Preston North End have just one month left to do any more transfer business this summer.

Preston faced a big summer as Ryan Lowe looked to shape his squad.

Out went 13 players at the end of their contracts whilst four loanees were sent back to their parent clubs and three players were transfer listed.

North End have been going for a real overhaul and have already snapped up six new signings.

Freddie Woodman, Dai Cornell, Ben Woodburn, Robbie Brady, Troy Parrott and Alvaro Fernandez have all arrived.

There is still work to be done though, so what else can North End accomplish in the final month of the window?

Matthew Olosunde moves on

Preston only signed Olosunde on a free transfer from Rotherham United last summer but is already on the transfer list.

The American wasn’t even registered for Championship games after the January transfer window and seemingly hasn’t convinced Ryan Lowe.

Olosunde was trialled as a right-sided centre back in pre-season but is now out of the picture again.

Olosunde doesn’t really fit what Lowe wants from a wing back either so in an ideal world, Preston will manage to move Olosunde out this month.

Josh Harrop’s future decided

This has become quite the problem for North End.

Harrop is on the transfer list at Deepdale but news of a potential exit has been thin on the ground.

The playmaker signed a bumper new deal in the summer of 2020 and is likely on wages that are just beyond a host of League One clubs.

Harrop did join up with Burton Albion for training but quickly returned to North End.

This situation needs to be settled this month. Preston won’t want to pay Harrop up but given the cost of such an agreement, but that may be better than paying him to sit around at North End until his contract ends next summer.

Until Harrop and Olosunde go, it’s hard to see Preston being able to bring in other signings.

Preston secure a new right wing back

We’ll work on the assumption that one or both end up leaving in some capacity, freeing up Preston to go and sign a new right wing back.

This has been a priority for Lowe for months now, yet a new right wing back still hasn’t been brought in.

There were links to the likes of Moses Odubajo, Cyrus Christie and Marlon Fossey but no deal has been done in that area of the pitch.

Brad Potts has been a solid option there but Preston are really lacking attacking quality there and should money in the budget become available, it’s a position North End simply have to address.

Callum Robinson: deal or no deal?

The other area Preston really need to strengthen is in attack.

Parrott’s arrival helps North End and he started up top with Emil Riis at Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Yet with Ched Evans now suspended and Seani Maguire injured, Preston are struggling for attacking depth.

Add in that those two strikers haven’t scored since Lowe’s appointment in December and North End can’t really rely on either for goals in the quest for a play-off place.

Preston have been targeting Callum Robinson but an emotional return to Deepdale is a tricky one.

West Brom want to sell the Irish international whereas Preston are only really interested in a loan deal.

Steve Bruce has seemed a little agitated by Preston’s pursuit of Robinson and unless something changes on either side, Robinson won’t be heading to North End.

Dana Amaral heads out on loan

Preston have some talented young players at Lowe’s disposal and some will surely be heading out on loan before the deadline.

One player who springs to mind is midfielder Dana Amaral, who has emerged rapidly under Lowe.

The teenager anchor man featured in pre-season and, barring an injuries in North End’s stocked midfield ranks, Amaral is likely to head out on loan.

League Two would be a great step for Amaral, but if it’s at the top end of the National League, few would complain.

Loans for Josh Seary and Aaron Bennett also wouldn’t be a huge shock before the deadline.

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