Preston are back in action tonight, taking on Cork City in the second pre-season game of the summer. Saturday’s 2-0 win over Bamber Bridge was a decent enough start to the schedule, and the trip to Ireland is the next step towards the start of the season.
North End have been out training in Ireland today, gearing up for tonight’s game. Players are being put through their paces in what may well be another game with two different line-ups, and Josh Harrop will feature again.
Harrop started on the left flank in Saturday’s win at Bamber Bridge, and showed some decent touches in his 45 minutes. That was Harrop’s first appearance in a Preston shirt since September 2018, having fought back from a torn ACL.
Harrop has caught the eye in training today though, for a cheeky lob over Declan Rudd. North End posted a video earlier today of Harrop’s impressive control and frankly filthy finish to score.
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It’s only training, so you can’t read too much into it, but it does again highlight the quality Harrop has. North End need to get him showing that quality on a consistent basis, and he appears to have high hopes for himself.
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Harrop has told Lancs Live that he wants to be the best player in the Championship. He feels he has a point to prove this season, and most – including Harrop himself – would probably agree that his North End career hasn’t really taken off yet.
The 23-year-old was viewed as an ambitious capture when he arrived from Manchester United two years ago. He’s only registered two goals and two assists in 46 games though, and this is a big season for him.
Whether it’s out wide or as a playmaker, this is a huge season for Harrop. Training ground goals aside, Harrop does have huge quality, and the potential to be that creative number 10 we’re looking for – he just needs to realise that potential, starting with nailing down a first-team spot.