Preston North End striker Joe Rodwell-Grant has appeared on trial for Wigan Athletic ahead of a possible summer move.
This may come as a shock to many Preston fans with Rodwell-Grant well-liked among North End supporters.
Rodwell-Grant has come up through the Preston ranks and has been confident in his assertion that he would make the North End first team.
Rodwell-Grant featured in pre-season last year and actually scored a very neat goal against Wigan at the DW Stadium.
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First-team opportunities have been difficult to come by, and he has been on loan in non-league with Bamber Bridge and Lancaster City.
Rodwell-Grant has still appeared in Preston’s youth and development games this season but his time at North End could be ending.
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The 19-year-old striker started for Wigan in their Under-23 game against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.
Leading the attack, Rodwell-Grant went close with one shot that went just wide of the post.
Wigan ended up losing 3-2 at Loftus Road and Rodwell-Grant will hope to have done enough to win a contract.
Rodwell-Grant’s identity wasn’t revealed by Wigan as they simply named his a ‘trialist’, but Queens Park Rangers confirmed on their official website that it was Rodwell-Grant in the Wigan side.
That pre-season goal against Wigan last summer may have put Rodwell-Grant on their radar and a move could materialise this summer.
We can only assume that Preston have already decided to let Rodwell-Grant leave the club and have given him freedom to appear elsewhere.
If that is the case, we hope to see Rodwell-Grant thrive elsewhere but also that this decision doesn’t backfire like Tyrhys Dolan’s exit in 2020.