A new year means the transfer window is open for a month, and clubs will be scrambling around trying to improve their squads.
Whilst we don’t expect much incoming action at Preston North End after a busy summer, there could be a few outgoings. As listed in the our ‘five-point plan for January the likes of Layton Stewart and Patrick Bauer could be heading out on loan or even permanently in Bauer’s case.
The German defender is one of a few players whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season. Alan Browne and Ben Whiteman are probably the two most high profile in that category, and whilst Browne has admitted a contract offer is on the table, there hasn’t been any news on the Whiteman front.
Whiteman joined from Doncaster Rovers three years ago making 130 appearances for the club and scoring 10 goals in that time. Whiteman has captained the team in the absence of Browne as well, but the team’s best spell of this season came when he was injured.
When we won six games in a row between August and September it was predominantly Ali McCann and Ryan Ledson at the base of the midfield with Browne and Duane Holmes or Mads Frokjaer higher up.
Whiteman’s return as a starter came in the 3-0 defeat to Leicester City after a handful of games off the bench. The club’s form since then has been well documented with just four wins in 17 games.
Obviously you can’t pin point that to Whiteman but he isn’t having a great impact on the team this season. He’s scored two goals and assisted one in that 20 games.
The 27-year-old has very rarely had much of an impact in the final third of the pitch. He does the simple stuff well. The safe passes sideways, and collecting the ball from the defence. You don’t really see a defence splitting pass from Whiteman or many efforts at goal. Certainly not in a Ryan Lowe side anyway.
Lowe has quite a few options in midfield with this squad, and for me Whiteman shouldn’t always be guaranteed a spot. He’s started 15 of the last 17 games and that often means Holmes and or Frokjaer miss out.
Ali McCann hasn’t covered himself in glory recently, with poor displays against Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland. Despite overloading the middle of the pitch we are too easily cut open.
McCann and Whiteman aren’t the most creative players, and with the latter’s contract running down, perhaps now is the time to consider any interest there may be in the former Sheffield United player.
Last year Fulham were credited with having an interest in the midfielder according to The Sun. A £5 million figure was quoted but no bid ever arrived according to the club. Whiteman is not worth that 12 months later, but if any offers were put on the table they should be considered.
Whiteman is a decent player at this level, but he can’t be described as a game changer, and I don’t think he would leave a huge hole if he left. He may already be thinking about any potential moves on the cards, having not committed his future to the club yet.
If Preston were able to get a decent fee for him it could be reinvested in a younger replacement, as the current squad would be able to cope without him.
However Whiteman hasn’t hit the headlines this season, and with the stats not looking good for creativity in the side, or from a defensive point of view, there many not be too many suitors for his signature at this stage. Some clubs may be happy to see if he becomes available in the summer.
Preston must try and protect themselves though, and if conversations have taken place and an extension is looking unlikely, they should try and offload to at least get some money for his services.