Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe feels the club will need to make a decision next week, if there is no resolution to their pursuit of Tom Cannon.

The Everton forward is the man PNE want to bring back to the club, after his eight goals on loan last season. Cannon remains with the Toffees for now, with North End desperate to get the green light from Everton over another loan move. There has been big interest in the centre-forward this summer, but Preston have remained the main name in the frame.

Preston were in a similar situation with Cameron Archer last season, though. He was not allowed out on loan in the summer and then opted to join Middlesbrough in January. There appears greater confidence over a return this time around, with Cannon, but Lowe assures that North End are planning in case a move does not happen.

“Yeah, we’ve got loads of options,” said Lowe. “We will re-evaluate what we need to do next week. If we feel we are not getting closer to a certain striker, then we’ll have a look at maybe moving on to other targets. You cannot keep waiting forever, if that makes sense. The players we want, we feel we will get. But we are governed by other clubs aren’t we? We are governed by when they say yes or no. We’ve definitely got other targets in the

pipeline, of course.

Earlier this week it was reported that Cannon’s immediate future would be decided on Wednesday, but that day has passed and the latest claims are that Everton want to sign two strikers themselves – before letting him leave. Youssef Chermiti and Hugo Ekitike appear to be the targets, but Lowe stayed coy over Everton’s supposed plans.

When asked about the reports, Lowe said on Thursday: “I don’t see it all, but I get told that someone has said: ‘This is happening on this day’ and I go: ‘Who’s said that?’ – because I haven’t said it. I am in Liverpool, not in Preston or Euxton at the training ground telling everyone information. We keep our cards close to our chest. So, I don’t know who spreads the rumours or gives the information.

“I have said from day one that until we get a phone call to say something is happening, I am not going to start talking about someone else’s player when they are not ours. I have got too much respect. Until we’re told we can have a certain player, then we can’t do anything about it.”

Left wing-back is the other position North End are targeting, having lost last season’s loan star Alvaro Fernandez and academy product Jacob Slater – while Robbie Brady is injured. PNE targeted Yasser Larouci and Josh Wilson-Esbrand this summer but missed out to Sheffield United and Reims respectively. Lowe suggested on Tuesday night that North End were waiting to hear back on offers for players and it is clear to him what he needs down the left flank.

“It is not I want: ‘John or Peter or Kev’,” said Lowe, when asked if he knows who he wants to now sign. “We just want someone who can fit that position and give us what we want – to carry the ball, deliver and is good defensively. It doesn’t matter what name it is; just whether the player can do a job for us. We know the profile that fits for us and we are just waiting to hopefully get one.”

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Everton are said to be in negotiations with Leeds United for the transfer of Italy international Wilfried Gnonto, who could leave Elland Road less than a year after originally joining.

Gnonto and Leeds were relegated to the Championship after a challenging season in the Premier League in 2022-23, a season which saw three different coaches at the helm in West Yorkshire.

Leeds kicked off their Championship campaign with a 2-2 draw with Cardiff City on Sunday, before beating Shrewsbury 2-1 in the League Cup first round on Wednesday. Gnonto was not part of the squad for either fixture.

Reports from Everton Insider The Bubble, later picked up by Fabrizio Romano, claim that Gnonto was omitted from the matchday squad after hinting at a desire to leave for the Premier League.

Romano writes that Gnonto has an agreement with Everton for a five-year contract, which would run until the summer of 2028