Preston North End

Andy Bayes
Sports editor, BBC Radio Lancashire

Preston North End start the new season without summer signing Jordan Thompson who will be missing for the next couple of months following ankle surgery.

Speaking about the injury, boss Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's another couple of months for Jordan. I think I said at the time that he had a misdiagnosis after the final game of last season [for Stoke City].

"He has had an operation now to sort it out and is in recovery which is hard for him because when you come to a new club, you want to start well and it is only when he got to a certain point that he realised something was wrong, so I feel for him."

Robbie Brady is also missing for a couple of weeks with a calf injury while Brad Potts will be assessed ahead of tomorrow's opening-day trip to QPR (15:00 BST).

Ahead of the game, Heckingbottom added: "I want to get going. Once these league games get underway, that is when you start getting proper feedback about the players.

"With the teams that have come up and come down, I have not got a clue how this Championship [season] is going to go. Our expectation for every game is to go and try to win."

Debuts could be handed to summer signings, Daniel Iversen (Leicester), Odel Offiah (Brighton), Pol Valentin and Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday), Thierry Small (Charlton), Daniel Jebbison (Bournemouth, loan), Andrija Vukcevic (FC Juarez).

Heckingbottom said he was "delighted" by the business the Lilywhites have done this summer - click here to listen to his full interview via BBC Sounds.

Preston North End are close to completing a loan move for Tottenham's 21-year-old English attacking midfielder Alfie Devine. (Lancashire Post), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Preston North End have agreed a deal to sign 17-year-old forward Shay Reid from Irish Premiership club Cliftonville.

Reid has also been linked with Aberdeen, Celtic and Luton Town. (Belfast Telegraph), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

Former Preston North End striker Ched Evans is pleased he could leave the club this summer on good terms.

The 36-year-old was offered a coaching role at the Championship side but instead opted for a return to League Two club Fleetwood Town for a third spell.

"It took me months to make a decision because ultimately if I take the [coaching] job, I'm retired," Evans told BBC Radio Lancashire.

Evans made eight substitute appearances in the Championship last season but still maintains a good relationship with manager Paul Heckingbottom.

"I had to accept it and as the manager, he has a plan.

"We left on really good terms, I wish him all the best. Although it was a sad thing because I loved it at Preston, the love for football outweighed that."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds

Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic says he has no interest in letting defender Cody Drameh, 23, go this summer despite interest from Derby County and Preston North End. (Hull Daily Mail), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Image source, Rex Features

New Preston North End signing Michael Smith says he "can't wait to get going" following his move from Sheffield Wednesday earlier this week.

The 33-year-old left the Owls after his contract was ended by "mutual consent" along with former team-mate Josh Windass, who has subsequently moved to Wrexham.

Smith scored for Wednesday against Preston in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough last December and is looking forward to reuniting with head coach Paul Heckingbottom, who he also worked with during a loan spell at Barnsley in 2015-16.

"Even at my age, with my experience, it's still always a little bit nerve-wracking coming into a new club but it seems like a good group to be a part of," Smith told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The settling in period comes and goes really quickly. I'm going to have to play catch up a little bit but I've managed to get some runs in so I can't wait to get going.

"Obviously I've played under the manager before so I sort of know how he works. I want to come here and keep trying to get better even at my age.

"I know I've missed the pre-season trip so I'll be spending a lot of time getting to know the squad and on the training ground - hopefully it stands us in good stead come August.

"I've never had a good game there [at Deepdale] as an away player so I'm looking to change that but it's always been a stadium I've enjoyed playing at."

Coventry City, Derby County and Oxford United are interested in 32-year-old German defender Patrick Bauer, formerly of Preston North End. (SportsBoom, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

Luton keeper Jack Walton, 27, could leave Kenilworth Road for Preston after the Hatters signed Josh Keeley from Tottenham. (Luton Today, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Montenegro defender Andrija Vukcevic has joined up with Preston North End for a week-long trial at their training camp in Valencia.

The 28-year-old, who has 18 international caps, is without a club after leaving Mexican side FC Juarez in July.

He spent last season on loan to Spanish side FC Cartagena, making 23 appearances in LaLiga2, plus one in their Copa del Rey match against SD Beasain.

Vukcevic could face a Spanish team during his trial with the Lilywhites as North End's training week will culminate with a pre-season friendly against Getafe.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor

Image source, Getty Images

The Paul Heckingbottom rebuild is well under way.

Half a dozen new players registered before the second week of July, which is ideal for a North End boss experiencing pre-season with the club for the first time.

Generally, each position should have two players. There is still work to do in that regard, but you can see signs that Heckingbottom's strongest XI (if there is such a thing these days) is looking stronger than it did in May.

Daniel Iversen will be the undisputed number one. If he's fit, he plays. A seven-figure sum for Odel Offiah from Brighton would also indicate he'll be at the forefront of the manager's thoughts.

In less than a year, Heckingbottom has changed his number one, added two centre-backs (Offiah and Gibson) and both wing-back positions have undergone surgery with Pol Valentin and Thierry Small arriving to replace Premier League loan players.

Heckingbottom's go-to formation has been a back three, but Offiah could open the door to switch to a four, should he mix things up from time to time. Offiah's loan at Blackpool last season saw him have a prolonged spell at right-back.

Small's arrival from Charlton has excited the fan base. This will be his first taste of Championship action at the age of 20 and perhaps he needs time to settle in to the level. His only season of regular first-team football was a promotion with Charlton last season from League One.

Valentin offers more experience at 28 and has been in and out of Sheffield Wednesday's starting XI over the past two years.

The forward area is the one in most need of further reinforcements. Emil Riis and Ched Evans are no longer on the roster.

Will Keane and Milutin Osmajic have both been linked with moves away but a departure for either is extremely unlikely unless the numbers in that department drastically change.

Canada international Daniel Jebbison, a loan arrival from Bournemouth, has played under Heckingbottom before at Sheffield United, and he's come to play. His goal output is an area to work on, but with regular football and belief from his manager, he'll be given every opportunity.

It's a case of watch this space for more forwards to move to Deepdale. If another loan from a top-flight club is being sought, that might have to wait for Premier League overseas trips to conclude.

As for the engine room, Jordan Thompson is a reliable option with Championship experience under his belt. He's made 42 starts in the last three second-tier seasons and addresses Heckingbottom's admission that his midfield was lacking left-footed options.

So, six in, so far… it wouldn't be a shock if we're talking double figures in terms of arrivals by the time the window closes.