Some fans are convinced that two of their players will reject new contracts amid interest from Steven Gerrard’s Rangers and Neil Lennon’s Celtic.
Rangers offered £1.5 million for the Preston North End midfielder, Daniel Johnson, in the summer transfer window, according to Lancashire Live.
Celtic, meanwhile, found themselves linked with Johnson’s teammate, Ben Davies, who was deemed more likely to sign a pre-contract agreement with them in the new year than join rival suitors Sheffield United or Bournemouth, by The Sun.
The reported Rangers and Celtic targets are out of contract at the end of this season, and are among four Preston players who have received fresh proposals containing ‘significant’ increases on their current terms, according to the Lancashire Live.
But the following North End supporters are already resigned to losing both Johnson and Davies.
With Johnson staying put, Rangers turned to the Amiens midfielder Bongani Zungu, who moved to Ibrox on an initial loan deal which contains an option to buy him outright.
But even if Rangers choose to activate that option, there could still be room for Johnson in G51 – with Steven Davis’s contract also due to expire next summer.
Likewise, Celtic managed to strengthen their options in Davies’ position with the signing of Shane Duffy in September, but the Irish centre-back is only on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion and has so far struggled to convince the Bhoys that he could be a suitable long-term option.
The Preston manager Alex Neil suggested earlier this year that it could take £10m to prise Davies from Deepdale.
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