There are few clubs around who can say they don’t need to dip into the transfer market.
Even Manchester City can probably find room for improvement ahead of 2024 with two transfer windows on the horizon.
Preston North End are certainly no different even after one of the most impressive summer windows in recent memory.
PNE supporters wanted attacking signings over the summer and certainly got them.
Will Keane, Mads Frøkjær-Jensen, Duane Holmes, Milutin Osmajic and Liam Millar all arrived and have all brought something new to the North End side.
A mix of Championship know-how and imports from abroad gave PNE a new dimension, striking a blend of bargain additions and significant investment.
Few North End fans would complain about that summer business but the attention is now turning to the January window – and other issues appearing in Ryan Lowe’s squad.
Tuesday’s 4-0 thrashing at Middlesbrough was the third time in the last ten games that PNE have conceded four goals in a game.
PNE also lost 3-0 at Leicester City which, whilst not being a disgrace given the squad they have, is still another heavy defeat.
We saw similar defensive issues last season; 4-2 at Blackpool, 4-0 at home to Norwich City, 3-0 at Burnley, 4-0 at Middlesbrough (again), 4-2 at Swansea City, 4-1 at Sheffield United and 3-0 at home to Sunderland.
Lowe’s first season in charge had similar results; 4-0 away at Luton Town, 3-0 at Fulham, 4-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers.
There are simply too many games in which North End capitulate defensively and it’s now 13 Championship games without a clean sheet.
Only once have PNE scored more than two goals in a league game this season and we can’t keep needing threes and fours in order to get something out of games.
The summer was about attacking additions but 2024 may be the time for a few defensive changes.
Greg Cunningham has been an outstanding servant to the club but he just isn’t available often enough to be relied upon in a long Championship season.
Patrick Bauer has been out of favour for a while now and is out of contract at the end of the season with a new deal very unlikely.
Jack Whatmough may take on a bigger role moving forward but PNE may look for other additions in 2024.
Hammarby ace Nathaniel Adjei has been linked with a move to Deepdale and he possesses the turn of pace PNE’s back line has desperately needed since Sepp van den Berg’s exit.
A £3million valuation means he may be out of reach but that is the kind of profile PNE need at the back.
Cunningham and Andrew Hughes have both suffered regular injury problems so North End may also look for the left-sided centre back of the future – unless Kian Best is seen as the long-term solution there.
After a summer centred around improving Lowe’s attacking options, we would expect to see multiple defensive signings across 2024.
That may sound somewhat ungrateful after a fine summer window, but after Tuesday’s latest nightmare, few would say that new blood at the back isn’t needed if PNE want a top-six finish.