Ryan Lowe has confirmed his interest in a transfer for West Brom winger Callum Robinson, who is among a clutch of former Preston North End players he should re-sign this summer.
The Lilywhites are exploring the conditions for Robinson to potentially return to Deepdale, as Lowe bids to move the Lancashire natives into contention for promotion to the Premier League. Preston ended the last Championship season in 13th, 11 points from the play-offs.
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Preston have not contended in the second-tier play-offs since the 2008/09 term, and have only finished in the top-10 of the table twice over the following 13 years. Last season also saw the Lilywhites win their joint-least second-tier fixtures (16) in a term since ‘15/16 (15).
Lowe confirms interest in re-signing former Preston player Robinson of West Brom
Robinson is now among the targets who Lowe feels can take Preston nearer to the Premier League, after confirming the Deepdale outfit’s interest in the West Brom star this summer.
“I’m not interested in Callum Robinson because of what he’s done for the football club. I’m interested in Callum Robinson because he’s a good footballer,” Lowe explained, via quotes by the Express & star, who note West Brom are open to selling the Republic of Ireland ace.
“Callum Robinson, if he becomes available, who wouldn’t look at Callum Robinson? He is a fantastic player, and PNE fans love him. So, why wouldn’t anyone be interested in him? If he became available, of course we’d be interested in him, like everyone else would be.”
Lowe interested in Robinson return for West Brom star’s fourth Preston spell
Robinson has featured on the Deepdale accounts three times to date, having enjoyed two spells on loan from Aston Villa. He eventually signed a permanent contract with Preston in 2016 for just £170k in compensation for his development, due to being under to age of 24.
Sheffield United later paid Preston £7m rising to £10m with add-ons for Robinson in 2019. While West Brom swooped a year later in exchange for Oliver Burke, who cost the Baggies £15m in 2017. Yet the 27-year-old may now move on two years into his five-year contract.
Including during his two loan spells, Robinson offered Preston 41 goals and 21 assists over 160 appearances across all competitions. He offered his best single-season Championship tally in 2018/19 before joining Sheffield United, having hit home 12 goals from 27 outings.
The 30-cap forward has since struck the net 17 times and created 11 goals in 89 games for West Brom. He registered nine of his Baggies assists plus seven goals during the 2021/22 second-tier season over 43 appearances, marking his most appearances in a single term.
Preston should look to re-sign Mavididi alongside interest in Robinson
Preston should also look to re-sign Stephy Mavididi, alongside Lowe’s interest in Robinson returning from West Brom, to further strengthen the Deepdale attack during this summer.
Mavididi made 11 appearances for the Lilywhites over the first-half of the 2017/18 season while on loan from Arsenal. He later left north London in 2018 with Juventus, who sold the 24-year-old to Montpellier for €6.5m (£5.5m) in 2020, and he could be on the move again.
Montpellier are open to selling Mavididi this summer, Fabrizio Romano reports, with West Ham United, Everton, Southampton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Marseille interested. But Preston could offer him greater minutes after his eight-goal Ligue 1 campaign last season.
Lowe should consider Preston return for Pearson of Bournemouth
Lowe should consider offering Bournemouth midfielder Ben Pearson a return to Preston in the off-season sales this summer. The 27-year-old only held a peripheral presence in Scott Parker’s side last season, as the Cherries secured their promotion as runners-up to Fulham.
Pearson started just eight of his 23 second-tier appearances, and will now likely struggle to gain a more prominent role. So, Preston could sense an opportunity to take the midfielder back to Deepdale just 18 months on from his transfer to the south coast in January 2021.
He had spent five years in Lancashire after joining the Lilywhites from Manchester United in 2016. Over that time, Pearson enjoyed 165 appearances for the club and opened 153 of his 158 Championship outings. The holding anchor also laid on five assists, plus two goals.
Lowe must strive to re-sign Iversen with Leicester likely to let goalkeeper go
Lowe must strive to see Preston re-sign Daniel Iversen this summer after the goalkeeper’s successful loan spell from Leicester City. The Foxes allowed the Denmark international to move to Deepdale in January 2021, and again for the full 2021/22 season as number one.
Iversen started 45 of his 46 Championship appearances last term, having taken over from Declan Rudd 13 minutes into the Lilywhites’ opening day defeat by Hull City. The 24-year-old went on to register 13 clean sheets over his opening calls, to 56 total goals conceded.
His record saw Iversen rank joint-eighth among second-tier shot-stoppers for shut outs last season. And he could now be on the market, as Leicester Live report the Foxes are likely to let him leave – either permanently or on loan – in order not to hold back his development.
Iversen’s stock is high following his Preston spells, but a loan move would offer Leicester a chance to possibly replace Kasper Schmeichel with his contract up next year. The Athletic also report Middlesbrough are interested in Iversen, along with Newcastle ace Karl Darlow.
Preston should rival Blackburn for Davies loan after Sheffield United stint
Preston should look to rival Blackburn Rovers for the loan transfer of Ben Davies, following the Liverpool defender’s Sheffield United spell ending in the play-offs last term. Alan Nixon notes Jon Dahl Tomasson is pushing for the 26-year-old to be a key part of his new squad.
Tomasson sees Davies as occupying a central role at Ewood Park after he replaced former boss Tony Mowbray this summer. Blackburn would even be prepared to cover the centre-half’s wages in full, along with paying Liverpool a loan fee for the former Lilywhites player.
Davies is still yet to play a single game for the Anfield outfit since moving to Merseyside for £1.5m as a last-gasp winter 2021 transfer. He instead spent last season on loan at Bramall Lane for 22 appearances, after returning to the Championship after 129 games for Preston.
Lowe could now strive to rival Blackburn and re-sign Davies to build a Preston side capable of pushing for the play-offs, alongside his interest in a return for West Brom star Robinson.
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