The start of the new Championship season is just a matter of days away, and Preston are in danger of repeating a past mistake.
With a new season nearly here, we would love to be 100% positive, talking of only the good things at Deepdale and all the hope this campaign could bring.
However, there are a few things that are concerning, and one of them is the contract situation surrounding a couple of players.
Jordan Storey and Tom Barkhuizen are now into the final year of their contracts, as are the likes of Andrew Hughes, Patrick Bauer, Brad Potts and Scott Sinclair.
Football League World claim talks have been opened with Potts, but the situations with Storey and Barkhuizen are of real concern.
Barkhuizen indicated to Lancs Live last week that there is ‘nothing at the moment’ in terms of a new contract, whilst there has been little news on the Storey front.
Preston went into last season in a similar situation. Ben Davies, Ben Pearson, Alan Browne and Daniel Johnson were known as ‘the big four’ as they entered the final year of their deals, whilst Darnell Fisher was in the same boat.
Browne and Johnson signed new contracts, but the others have moved on. Fisher was sold to Middlesbrough for a bargain fee, Davies joined Liverpool and Pearson secured a move to Bournemouth.
Pearson admitted to From The Finney that he would likely have signed a new deal if talks had been opened earlier, but Preston left it so long that he ended up wanting to move.
Preston will now head into the Hull game with a number of players approaching the end of their contracts, their value diminishing by the day.
Barkhuizen has been a reliable player for North End for four-and-a-half years now, and as one of few players in the squad with blistering pace, he should be kept on.
Storey enjoyed a strong 2021, and is a great fit as the right-sided centre back in Frankie McAvoy’s three-man defence, his importance there only strengthened by the knowledge that Sepp van den Berg is only on loan.
Peter Ridsdale stated in May that contracts are never as easy as Preston fans think, but seeing this situation happen once again is a worry.
Let’s hope there is news soon, but Barkhuizen’s comments last week has left fans fretting about the direction of the club once again.