Fresh Tom Cannon twist revealed as Preston North End plot Sheffield United action | OneFootball

Preston are keen on bringing Sheffield United striker Tom Cannon back to Deepdale.

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom is keen to bring Sheffield United striker Tom Cannon back to Deepdale this summer.

The Irishman played for the Lancashire outfit during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign on loan from Everton, where he scored eight times in 20 Championship outings.

A permanent switch to Leicester City followed that summer, but Cannon was unable to impress during his time at the King Power Stadium and was sent out on loan to Stoke City.

His time in the Potteries saw him rediscover his goalscoring form, which earned him a permanent move to Sheffield United, but once again, he struggled to find the net on a consistent basis.

Now, a fresh report from Alan Nixon via his Patreon page on Sunday morning has suggested that his first loan club are eyeing up a move to bring Cannon back this summer.

Paul Heckingbottom eyes Tom Cannon Preston return

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It's been a solid summer for Preston so far with four new arrivals through the door so far, the most notable of these being the permanent acquisition of last season's star loanee Alfie Devine from Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Heckingbottom is seemingly far from done in the transfer window as he looks to take the Whites from an established mid-table side to a promotion contender.

With that goal in mind, the former Sheffield United boss is plotting a raid of his former club, according to Nixon's latest report, as he looks to prise Cannon away from Bramall Lane.

The Blades spent an initial £7m when they signed the Irish forward from Leicester in January 2025, which could rise to £10m with add-ons, but they are reportedly keen to make back all the money they spent on him should they sanction a sale.

Cannon is under contract at Bramall Lane until the summer of 2029, but it looks unlikely to see out the duration of his deal should the right offer come in from North End.

It's fair to say the move to the Steel City hasn't worked out for Cannon, who has just seven goals to his name in 54 appearances across all competitions for Chris Wilder's side, so a move away could be the best for all parties.

Preston move could help Cannon rediscover goalscoring form

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The story of Cannon's career thus far has been a rather strange one, with his success at Preston and Stoke marred by his struggles at Leicester and Sheffield United.

It's clear to see there's a talented goalscorer in the Irishman, who thrives in the correct environment, it's just not working out for him when he's tasked with being the leading man in a squad with promotion ambitions.

That's not to say Cannon couldn't be the star man for Preston if their ambitions were to finish towards the sharp end of the division this season.