Ryan Lowe has only been at the club for over month now, but we are deep into the transfer window and there is one eye on areas he can improve.
Lowe has said he will give everyone in the squad a chance to impress, but he will already have worked out positions that are weaker than others.
One area that seems to jump out at the moment is at left-wing back. It has already been suggested that the club are looking for a new signing in this position.
Whilst a loan signing, or perhaps someone from League One or Two is most likely, there is someone who is set to become available who would fit in perfectly.
Preston’s highest profile signing in recent years is probably Aiden McGeady, having played European football on plenty of occasions, and a regular international footballer as well. His signing was one of the best in the last decade although his departure was acrimonious. He had lost his way at Everton, and North End provided a lifeline for him.
Danny Rose’s career is currently in a similar state of play to that of McGeady’s in 2016.
In that year, Rose was one of England’s best players in a disappointing Euro 2016 campaign. Since then his career at Tottenham Hotspur fizzled out, although he did play the full 90 minutes in the 2019 Champions League final.
He joined Watford in the summer in a move he was hoping would rekindle the form shown earlier in his career. It hasn’t worked out though, and after just nine games, Sky Sports are reporting he has played his last game for the club. He does have 18 months left on his contract, but may be allowed to leave for free.
Now he will probably have better offers domestically and abroad than Preston North End but stranger things have happened. There is no doubting the 31-year-old would do a job in the Championship, and he has great attacking attributes, which Josh Earl currently lacks.
His reported £60,000 a week wages would have to dramatically come down as well, but at this stage of his career, Rose will be desperate to show that he is still a top player. He needs a run of games, and the Championship could provide him with that.
A short term deal could put him in the shop window for a move in the summer, like it did with McGeady. Not many would have expected us to sign Scott Sinclair two years ago but it did happen.
Doncaster-born Rose, has often spoken of his desire to move back up north to play football. He managed that with a loan spell with Newcastle United two years ago, but they will have set their sights much higher now. Other northern clubs in the top flight aren’t desperately in need of a left-back, so the Championship could be a viable option.
Of course Preston have been stung with fairly high profile signings this season. Izzy Brown and Connor Wickham were coups but both suffered injuries as they have done many times before in their career. Rose’s injury record isn’t bad, but there are question marks on his desire to carry on playing football.
If he does want to prove himself again, and the terms were right then he would be a very valuable addition to Ryan Lowe’s side in my opinion. Lowe wouldn’t have been able to attract players of this quality before in his managerial career, so could be tempted with an ambitious effort for the left-back with 29 England caps to his name.