New Callum Lang development emerges as Preston North End eye Portsmouth deal | OneFootball

The Lilywhites are interested in adding to their frontline with Portsmouth's Callum Lang

Preston North End have made a fresh bid for Portsmouth forward Callum Lang following their recent summer pursuit of the attacker.

Football League World exclusively revealed in July that the Lilywhites had a £2 million bid rejected by Pompey in the early stages of the summer transfer window.

The Lancashire Post claimed on Tuesday that PNE are keen on trying again towards the back end of the January transfer window, which now has less than two weeks to run.

Lang has had a difficult campaign thus far, with injuries stopping him from truly progressing from his impressive 10-goal Championship haul last season. However, he's still managed to find the back of the net twice in his eight league appearances this term.

Evidently, there's still a quality goalscoring wideman there, and Paul Heckingbottom is eager to try his luck once more at bringing him to Deepdale - but the club may have to try harder than they already have.

Preston North End make bid for Portsmouth forward Callum Lang

According to Pete O'Rourke, North End have made a fresh bid for Lang's services and have tabled a £1.5 million offer, but that has been swiftly turned down by the Pompey hierarchy.

Liverpool-born Lang managed just eight Championship appearances so far this season due to injury - with his first setback requiring surgery.

The 27-year-old is not expected back in action until February after picking up his second hamstring injury of the season, just a month after he made his return from a 13-game absence, during which Pompey won just twice.

However, that hasn't dampened their interest, which was emphasised through a £2 million bid being made over the summer by the Deepdale-based outfit, despite limited funds, which saw only Odel Offiah come in for a fee during the previous window.

Football League World exclusively revealed that Portsmouth knocked back that bid, but after an injury-riddled 2025/26 campaign thus far, perhaps John Mousinho's side would be more open to a sale for the right price.

Lang's current contract is set to expire at the end of the current season, but it's understood that Portsmouth have an option to extend that by one year, should they wish to do so.

Paul Heckingbottom needs attacking upgrades at Preston - Callum Lang could provide that

Preston currently find themselves in a Championship promotion battle, but they're perhaps missing an extra attacking edge.

Lewis Dobbin has been solid this season on loan from Aston Villa and Daniel Jebbison has scored goals, but they're perhaps lacking added depth due to Michael Smith's lack of goals and the ill-discipline of Milutin Osmajic.

Lang would be able to help boost that, while also using his versatility to be a valuable option in an attacking midfield and in the striker position.

Heckingbottom previously stated, following the departures of Will Keane and Stefan Thordarson, that it was "going to be tough with the money we've got, but we've got to try and do it [replace them]."

The North End boss feels that his side needs some extra bodies at the top end of the pitch, and it's known from the summer that Lang is high on his list of players he admires.

If he can keep the 27-year-old fit for the second half of the campaign, there's no doubting that he'd be able to return to the similar goalscoring ways of last season, and that could be what separates Preston from maintaining this incredible play-off charge or eventually falling away from the top six altogether.