Preston North End chief posts transfer update on Sunderland, Sheffield United and Burnley target

Preston North End chief Peter Ridsdale has not ruled out Liam Millar returning to the club but admits they are looking at alternative options.

The 24-year-old spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Deepdale and was a popular figure among the supporters. He registered five goals and three assists in 35 games for the Lilywhites, and spoke of how he enjoyed life in Lancashire.

North End remain in dialogue with Millar's parent club FC Basel over a possible move, but as reported by the LEP last week, PNE are hoping that the Swiss side will lower their transfer demands. He is now gearing up to train in Europe with the Canada national team as they play the Netherlands and France, as they prepare for the 2024 Copa America.

Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, Ridsdale said: "Liam Millar has left because he was on loan, he wasn’t our player.

"It doesn’t mean that me saying he’s left doesn’t mean there isn’t a chance of him coming back. It just means at the moment that he is not ours.

"Are we still talking to him, his agent and Basel? Yes. I don’t know what the outcome will be so I am planning without Liam but that isn’t a foregone conclusion that he won’t be coming back."

North End face competition from several of their Championship rivals as well as teams in Europe to sign Millar. Lancashire rivals Burnley are interested along with Sheffield United, with both teams relegated from the Premier League and in receipt of parachute payments, which could give them the financial muscle to make a deal happen.

Sunderland have been linked with Millar over the last few months but their manager situation has not yet been sorted out, and so that will be the first thing the Black Cats address. Burnley are set to lose their manager Vincent Kompany to Bayern Munich this week and so they might not be expected to make a move for Millar in the immediate future.