Tom Cannon transfer truth emerges after failed Sheffield United exit to Preston | OneFootball

Preston North End missed out on Tom Cannon's services during the final few hours of deadline day

Preston North End saw a late move for Sheffield United forward Tom Cannon turned down on deadline day.

The Lilywhites sit ninth in the Championship at the first international break after an impressive start to the 2025/26 campaign, which has seen them pick up seven points from their first four matches.

A squad overhaul at Deepdale resulted in 12 new recruits during the summer window, but Paul Heckingbottom and Co. weren’t able to strike one final deal on deadline day.

Details behind Preston North End Tom Cannon bid revealed

After losing Emil Riis and Ched Evans heading into the transfer window, it was imperative that North End added reinforcements to their striker department.

Daniel Jebbison was brought in on loan from Bournemouth and PNE took advantage of Sheffield Wednesday’s peril to acquire Michael Smith’s services for free. However, due to Will Keane’s ongoing fitness issues, it became clear that the Lilywhites were looking to sign another centre-forward.

There was plenty of activity on deadline day to address this issue, with journalist Pete O’Rourke reporting via X that North End were one of the sides in for Chelsea striker David Datro Fofana.

That move didn’t materialise, but there was another, more familiar name that PNE were to be linked with.

As per journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon, the Lancashire outfit tried to sign Cannon on loan during the final hours of the summer window but couldn’t reach an agreement with Sheffield United.

It has now been revealed by Nixon that Heckingbottom and Co. had a couple of offers knocked back by the Blades, despite offering a large contribution towards the 22-year-old’s weekly wage of £25,000.

PNE’s final bid also included the obligation to make the transfer permanent if they managed to achieve promotion to the Premier League this season.

Cannon spent the latter half of the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Deepdale, scoring eight times in 20 Championship appearances, which included a fan-favourite finish against arch-rivals Blackpool.

Tom Cannon would’ve been a massive coup for Preston North End

After such a dismal end to the 2024/25 campaign, which almost ended in relegation to League One, many predicted Preston North End to suffer the drop this term after a decade back in the second-tier.

However, Heckingbottom and Co. have no such plans on their mind and are determined to punch above their weight at the top of the Championship.

There is real quality within the PNE ranks, with operators such as Milutin Osmajic, Thierry Small and Alfie Devine already proving to be deadly against top-tier opposition in the form of Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

Cannon would’ve added an extra element to the Lilywhites’ attack and further solidified their push for the top six. Despite struggling at Sheffield United, the forward’s previous spell at Deepdale highlights the devastating effect he can have in a Championship frontline.

The North End faithful adored Cannon whilst he donned their famous white shirt and would’ve been overjoyed to see him return to their club. However, in this case, it just wasn’t meant to be.