Preston North End takeover news: Amr Zedan cost, Paul Heckingbottom warning, Alfie Devine/Celtic issue | OneFootball

All the latest news surrounding the takeover situation at Preston North End

Preston North End have been unable to sustain a promotion push after a promising first half of the season.

The Lilywhites were in the mix for a play-off place under Paul Heckingbottom, but their form in the second half of the campaign has seen their hopes of promotion dashed.

The Lancashire outfit have fallen behind rivals such as Southampton, Hull City, Wrexham and Derby County in the table, leaving them effectively out of contention with four games to go.

Planning will already be underway for the upcoming transfer window as a result, with the club keen to bolster their chances of a top six finish next year.

But it has emerged that there is interest in a potential takeover, with reports linking Amr Zedan with a bid to buy the Championship side.

Here we look at all the latest takeover news surrounding Preston ahead of the end of the season…

Paul Heckingbottom makes financial claim

Heckingbottom has discussed the importance of working well with the resources available amid talk of a potential takeover at Deepdale, suggesting the team have out-performed expectations this season despite their play-off push falling away.

He cited Lincoln City’s promotion to the Championship as an example of how teams can punch above their weight, suggesting that having the most money to spend isn’t necessarily the most important factor in a club being successful.

“Yeah, look, it can't be done without more money,” said Heckingbottom, via the BBC.

“So probably this season we would be bottom of the league in terms of expenditure, wages and net spend.

“For us to be where we are, doing that, shows that - like I said to you guys at the beginning of the season - it's not about money.

“And that's not Preston not spending, that's just the landscape of the Championship now.

“I look at the teams coming up and Lincoln have done it in a great way - probably how we will have to do it in this league.

“But they'll spend more than us, probably, in the summer and make big improvements.

“That's the lay of the land.”

Heckingbottom believes that if Preston only improve their level of investment slightly, which could be possible with a new owner, then that could make the difference between being mid-table and actually competing for promotion.

“Now, how we do it is really, really important because we have to do it.

"So if we could, for example, get our wage bill middle of the road and, while we're accumulating that over the next couple of years, also be investing, strengthening and paying transfer fees at the middle of the road, then I think I could get us up challenging, definitely.

“That would be my aim.”

Preston North End takeover cost compared to Sheffield Wednesday

It has been reported that Zedan could have to pay between £12 and 15 million to purchase Preston from the Hemmings family.

But the Lilywhites are not the only team in the Championship subject to a takeover proposal at the moment, with Sheffield Wednesday on the cusp of being bought by David Storch.

The Owls were reportedly valued at around £20 million by the group led by the American, but the Yorkshire outfit have been in administration since October, and have had their relegation to League One confirmed since February.

Another consortium led by James Bord initially looked to be the next owners at Hillsborough, and their bid to buy the club came in at a reported £48.7 million before the deal collapsed.

Takeover claim made amid Reyes Cleary interest

It has been reported that Preston are also among the clubs in the mix to sign Reyes Cleary from Barnsley in the upcoming transfer market.

When asked about his potential signing, FLW’s Lilywhites fan pundit Darren Watson claimed that a takeover could help the Lancashire outfit bring him in.

He believes that Cleary would be a great addition to Heckingbottom’s squad, particularly if Lewis Dobbin isn’t signed on a permanent basis.

“Personally, for me, I think the club should be looking at this guy,” Watson told FLW.

“Obviously, he’s got bags of potential and could make the step-up to the Championship.

“If we don’t get Lewis Dobbin, this is someone we may have to go and get.

“With the takeover, we will have the money and funds for the Alfie Devine deal.

“I think Devine will be a Preston player, as long as he accepts terms and we can afford him.

“[Cleary has] bags of potential, and I really do think Preston should be looking at him.

“His stats look really good, and he looks like somebody who can definitely make the step-up to the Championship and actually make a big difference in the squad, if we don’t sign Lewis Dobbin, which I think is a bit of a stretch, as Aston Villa’s asking price is a bit high, even for Preston’s standards.”

It was previously reported that The Tykes set an £8 million asking price for Cleary amid interest in his services in the January window.

Celtic threaten Preston North End’s deal with Spurs

It has been reported by Football Insider that Celtic are interested in a potential deal to sign Preston loanee Alfie Devine.

It has previously been claimed that the Lilywhites have an option to buy clause worth around £4.5 million following his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.

But Devine has emerged as a potential option at Parkhead, with interim manager Martin O’Neill in attendance for Preston’s clash with QPR earlier this month.

It remains to be seen whether the Championship side can afford the buy option as part of his loan agreement, but it’s possible a change in ownership could impact this deal.

However, FLW's Preston fan pundit Darren Watson is confident that a takeover going through could help the side seal the deal to keep Devine at Deepdale.

“With the takeover, we will have the money and funds for the Alfie Devine deal," Watson told FLW.

"I think Devine will be a Preston player, as long as he accepts terms and we can afford him.