Preston North End urged to seal record Spurs deal - Wolves & Celtic are "sniffing around" | OneFootball

Preston face competition from Wolves and Celtic as they look to sign Alfie Devine from Tottenham on a permanent deal.

Preston North End recorded another mid-table finish in the Championship, as the side failed to build on the positive start to the season they had enjoyed under Paul Heckingbottom.

That will have frustrated some fans, but the reality is that it’s always difficult for North End to compete with the bigger hitters in the second tier, as they simply don’t have the financial resources.

Of course, that doesn’t mean a play-off push should be out of the question, especially next season when it involves the top eight, but smart recruitment will be crucial if the Lilywhites are to bridge that gap.

Preston North End face battle to secure permanent Alfie Devine deal

So, the summer window is going to be huge for Heckingbottom, and it seems apparent one of the top priorities is securing Alfie Devine on a permanent deal.

The midfielder arrived at Deepdale from Spurs last summer, and he enjoyed a fine individual campaign, scoring eight goals and registering six assists in 45 games, as well as impressing with his all-round game and technical ability.

Therefore, with Preston having the option to sign the 21-year-old for £4.5m, it appears to be a no-brainer on their part, and they are attempting to formulate a payment plan with the Premier League strugglers to bring Devine to Deepdale on a full-time basis.

Any deal isn’t going to be straightforward though - Spurs not only have to agree to take the fee in installments, but Devine could theoretically turn down PNE's contract offer, which would give Tottenham an opening to sell the midfielder elsewhere for a bigger fee.

It has been claimed that Wolves and Celtic are also tracking the youngster and the chance to join either club could hold major appeal to Devine, even if he does have a connection with Preston after his loan spell.

When asked by FLW about whether he was worried about Devine moving elsewhere, FLW's PNE fan pundit Darren Watson admitted he wasn’t surprised to see other clubs come in for the player, as he urged North End to do all they can to finalise this deal.

“Recently we’ve heard that Devine is wanted by multiple clubs. What can I say about the lad? He is a brilliant footballer and a very good young talent," Darren told FLW.

"Preston do have that option to sign him permanently, as long as he agrees to what is put on the table for him.

“We’re looking to pay over a couple of seasons for him, and with Spurs wanting £4.5m, it would make him the most expensive player ever for North End. What a player he is, and how good it would be if we can get that over the line.

“He has done so well in his first season, and I’m not surprised other clubs are sniffing around.

"He knows what to do on the pitch, we know what his ability is, and he can only grow. Hopefully, he’s one of those players that would have a good sell-on value as well.”

Alfie Devine would be a statement signing for Preston North End

It was inevitable that clubs would show an interest in Devine, because, as stated above, he has had a fantastic season, and when you consider his age, he is someone with huge potential.

That means Preston were never going to have a free run at the player, but the club deserve credit for ensuring they had an option to buy in the initial agreement, and now they will be working on convincing Devine to extend his stay.

Whilst the chance to join Wolves may offer a more realistic route to the Premier League, and Celtic can offer European football, Devine may not get the regular game time he needs at either club.

Whereas at PNE, and under Heckingbottom, Devine knows he will be a key man, so that will hold weight when it comes to making a decision.

Ultimately, it’s now up to Devine, and it will be intriguing to see where he does end up, but if Preston do manage to keep the player, it would be a huge statement of intent going into the new season.