Preston must look to reunite with Stoke City man after £3m Ben Whiteman blow | OneFootball

Preston North End should consider making the return of former midfielder Ben Pearson this summer after Ben Whiteman's departure

Preston North End have received a huge transfer blow just a couple of weeks before their season opener away to Bolton Wanderers, as head coach Paul Heckingbottom should look to a division rival for a replacement.

It's been a quiet window for Preston so far, with their record-breaking £6 million move for Spurs midfielder Alfie Devine being the big highlight of their summer at this stage.

Swedish striker Jusef Erabi has joined on loan from Belgian side Genk, whilst Lee Nicholls has arrived from Huddersfield Town to complete their additions at this stage, as Lilywhites supporters will be hoping for more before the deadline on September 1.

Now, the Lancashire-based outfit is resigned to losing club captain Ben Whiteman, having accepted a bid worth around £3 million from division rivals Wrexham for the 30-year-old, who will naturally need to be replaced.

A link to a potential replacement has already emerged, though Heckingbottom should be looking to strike an agreement with a fellow Championship side to secure the return of a former fan favourite.

Preston North End should target the return of Stoke City's Ben Pearson to replace Ben Whiteman this summer

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Whiteman's imminent departure will come as a bitter pill for Preston to swallow.

The former Doncaster Rovers midfielder has made 224 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions, having made the move to Deepdale back in January 2021, and has gone on to represent the club as captain countless times.

Now, Whiteman is on the verge of a move to Wrexham, and whilst Leicester City's Oliver Skipp has reportedly been sounded out as a potential replacement, Preston should consider looking into the return of Ben Pearson instead.

Pearson, 31, made 165 appearances for Preston across all competitions in five years at the club, where he earned a reputation for finding himself in the referee's book more often than not.

In fact, the Englishman has been booked more times (95) than any other player in Championship history, with his aggressive nature proving to be something of a double-edged sword.

Stoke have completed the additions of each of Ethan Galbraith, Svante Ingelsson, and Djibril Soumare this summer so far, and with both Tomas Rigo and Tatsuki Seko also battling for a place in Mark Robins' side, Pearson's minutes are likely to take a hit next campaign, as Preston should take advantage of this.

Ben Pearson could still have an impact at Championship level and should be considered by Preston North End

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Whilst not a direct replacement for Whiteman, Pearson would offer an extra bite in the middle of the park for Heckingbottom's side, and his return to Lancashire would likely be popular with the majority of supporters.

Preston can still boast the likes of Devine, Jordan Thompson, Alistair McCann, Andrew Moran, and Brad Potts in the middle of the park, though another option or two, especially with Whiteman's exit, wouldn't go amiss.

Pearson made 31 Championship appearances last season for Robins' side, though has failed to play over 2,000 minutes of league football since the 2019/20 season, with injuries and suspension ruling him out of contention more often than not.

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old is still more than capable of performing to a high level in the second tier, as he closes in on over 300 appearances in the division across his career.

According to FotMob, Whiteman made 311 defensive contributions last season, created 68 chances, and was booked ten times, whilst the last time Pearson played a similar amount of minutes (2019/20), he only made 167 defensive contributions, created 26 chances, and was booked nine times.

It goes without saying that another option to Pearson to replace Whiteman would therefore be a necessity, but as a player Heckingbottom can bring on and rely upon, Pearson would be a solid addition for Preston, and unlikely to break the bank; a homecoming should be on the cards.

Paul Heckingbottom will need midfield reinforcements after Ben Whiteman's departure, and Ben Pearson could be available

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Heckingbottom has pulled no punches in his displeasure at the way Whiteman has handled his exit, saying: "Ben has told me, told Peter [Ridsdale] that he's played his last game for the club; he's trying to force a move, which is an issue for me, and for the players.

"Ben knew there was a line he couldn't cross, and unfortunately he has.

"There's a valuation on him. I just hope for Ben's sake that Wrexham are willing to pay it; otherwise he's put himself in a really sticky situation.

Now, Wrexham seem to have met Preston's demands, with Whiteman on the verge of a move to North Wales, as the former Leeds United and Sheffield United boss must find a way to replace him.

Pearson may not have the capabilities on his own to fill the void, but as another option for the Lilywhites