Preston North End are keen on a loan deal to sign Leicester City‘s Oliver Skipp as a replacement for Ben Whiteman.
Paul Heckingbottom has already stated that the Lilywhites captain has played his last game for the club after Football Lowdown exclusively revealed that a training ground incident occurred as part of his aim to play for Wrexham.
The Red Dragons have since had a bid accepted from Preston for the 30-year-old, which may pave the way for Sheffield Wednesday to pursue a deal for George Dobson.
North End Identify Replacement
Now, in their efforts to line up a replacement for the outgoing Whiteman, the Deepdale club have identified Oliver Skipp as a potential successor, having previously courted interest from the Championship.
The Telegraph’s John Percy revealed at the end of June that Middlesbrough were keen on signing the Leicester City man to fill the void left behind by the Everton-bound Hayden Hackney, with the Foxes placing a £15 million price tag on the former Tottenham Hotspur man.
Preston have now emerged as an alternative destination, with Football Insider correspondent Pete O’Rourke now reporting that a loan move could be on the cards for the 25-year-old.
Incoming Foxes boss Russell Martin has been forced into moving on several key players from last season in order to fund his incoming transfer business, and has already successfully parted ways with Harry Winks, Jeremy Monga and Abdul Fatawu among others.
Skipp played 34 times last season as Leicester were relegated to League One, handing him a second straight relegation at the King Power since his switch from North London.
The midfielder has also played in the Championship for Norwich City, playing all but one match under Daniel Farke as the Canaries stormed to the title ahead of Watford and Brentford.
Wise Deal To Make
With a hefty price tag placed on Oliver Skipp given he has three years still to run on his Leicester City contract, a loan deal is the best path forward for the Foxes to keep their budget manageable in League One.
A £15 million price tag has already proven to be a sticking point for Middlesbrough in this window, and with some exits still needed, allowing the former Norwich City man to leave in some capacity will ease their burden in the lower divisions.
Preston North End were never likely to spend that heavily in the market, and at short notice before the end of the season, are having to scramble for a new midfield option in the wake of Ben Whiteman downing tools to force a move to Wrexham.
Skipp could now return to the Championship and aim to redeem himself after a poor season with Leicester, and may benefit from once again joining one of his former Spurs teammates in the middle of the pitch, with Alfie Devine now at Deepdale permanently.
Should Leicester be able to bounce back under Martin this season, then a loan deal also allows the 25-year-old to return to the club back at the appropriate level, while still offering the flexibility to sell him on if they remain stuck in League One.
