Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe has been spotted watching Liverpool’s Under-21’s in action against Paris Saint-Germain.
PNE have struck two deals this week as a pair of strikers – Everton’s Tom Cannon and Manchester City’s Liam Delap – have arrived on loan.
That provides a great boost to North End’s attacking options but the process of identifying potential targets doesn’t stop.
The Liverpool Echo report that PNE boss Lowe was spotted in attendance as Liverpool’s Under-21’s faced Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
The game took place at Liverpool’s academy base in Kirkby with Lowe a notable spectator.
Defender Billy Koumetio grabbed the headlines with two goals for Liverpool whilst Preston-born Luke Chambers was also on the scoresheet.
Oludare Olufunwa got himself a goal too as Liverpool ran out 4-2 winners over the French side.
Maybe Lowe was just taking in a local game, or perhaps just keeping tabs on the young talent coming through at the club he loves.
Yet we also have to look at this through a PNE lens and wonder who could fit the bill for a move to Deepdale either this month or in the summer.
Koumetio is an interesting prospect given that he is a left-sided centre back, something which could be on the PNE radar if out-of-contract Greg Cunningham is let go this summer.
The Frenchman turns 21 later this year and needs games after returning from a disappointing loan spell at Austria Wien.
Chambers will be the natural suggestion. Born and bred in Preston, Chambers can play all the way up the left flank and could fit as a loan replacement for Manchester United’s Alvaro Fernandez this summer.
James Norris can also play as a midfielder or at left wing back, with Lowe often a fan of playing midfielders as wing backs; maybe Norris fits the bill for North End.
Dominic Corness is a creative, left-footed midfielder with great delivery from set pieces and PNE may be in the market for a player of his profile with Daniel Johnson out of contract this summer.
In the final third, Polish talent Mateusz Musialowski is a fine dribbler who could fit into an attacking role if Lowe plays a 3-4-2-1 moving forward.
Lowe was also spotted watching Everton Under-21’s earlier this season, months before signing Tom Cannon.
That game was ironically against Paris Saint-Germain too; maybe there is somebody in the French club’s ranks that Lowe loves!
We’re just imagining that Lowe likes to keep an eye on Everton and Liverpool talent in case they become available for PNE down the line, just as Cannon did.