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Preston Tipped to Land Horgan
Wednesday, 7th Dec 2016 11:11

Preston North End are reported to be the favourites to sign Dundalk winger Daryl Horgan, who Town boss Mick McCarthy travelled to Ireland to watch in action a fortnight ago.

According to the Irish Sun, Dundalk defender Andy Boyle has agreed in principle to move to Deepdale in January with Horgan set to follow him to the Lancashire club. McCarthy has previously dismissed reports linking Town with Boyle, who like Horgan was recently called into the Republic of Ireland squad for the first time but without winning a cap.

Horgan, the PFAI Player of the Year for 2016, is the hottest property in Irish football with Everton, Hull City, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Reading, PSV Eindhoven, Melbourne City, the Colorado Rapids, Sunderland, West Ham and Bolton Wanderers among the many clubs said to have been keeping tabs on him.

Speaking prior to making the trip to watch Dundalk, who recently confirmed their third successive Airtricity League Premier Division championship, lose 1-0 to AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League in Dublin, McCarthy said he was anticipating a bidding war for Horgan’s signature. Given the stature of many of the clubs believed to be eyeing Horgan Preston winning the battle would be a surprise.

“It’s becoming a very public auction because whoever’s told whoever that I’m going out tonight, quite clearly the agent has told him so everybody else knows,” McCarthy said a fortnight ago.

“So, let’s make it as public as we can and they can get as much as they want. That might not be us if that’s the case.”

He added: “The more people that go out, the more interest there is, the more money it costs.

“He’s a free transfer, it’s not a bidding war to buy him, it’ll be a bidding war to pay him and to pay the agent.”


Photo: Action Images



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Bluebell added 11:18 - Dec 7
Hmmm...I wonder why he would chose them over us or any of the other teams 'keeping tabs on him'.

Nearer to Ireland maybe?
2

IRTractorboyz added 11:25 - Dec 7
Not going to lose sleep over this wide players not on top of our Christmas wish list. A striker please father Christmas xx
2

hoppy added 11:26 - Dec 7
Maybe he sees it as a chance to move across here and possibly be at a club where expectations wouldn't be too great on him and he has the chance to shine and then move on when he's more settled and established over here. A stepping stone?
1

GiveusaWave added 11:27 - Dec 7
'Keeping tabs on him' is very different to a firm offer. By the sounds of things, "firm" offers have come in from Bolton, Preston and us.
2

GiveusaWave added 11:29 - Dec 7
To be fair, I'd be surprised if he went to Preston, very competitive with an abundance of wingers already.
1

Ferguson added 11:32 - Dec 7
I suppose we shouldn't be disappointed. AFTER ALL we'll never know if they can cut it week in week out in the Prem.

Until they play against us that is......
1

ArnieM added 11:44 - Dec 7
it's a wages auction. Move on. It's about money for this player, not football. Cheerio, no loss.
2

cats_whiskers added 12:10 - Dec 7
I see he has "fyffes" on his shirt
A probable Banana skin, that one, and so best avoided
1

iaintaylorx added 12:36 - Dec 7
Most of my comments are negative, but we've let a very decent player go and to a team like Preston is even worse. Mick said he was interested and he's made it clear he was watching him.

Preston are by no means better than us, but it says either wages is a problem again, or he doesn't want to come to a club on the way down!! Club is a joke at the minute and it's really doing my nut in!!
6

jpring89 added 13:19 - Dec 7
Were a stepping stone club now Hoppy and it also wouldnt take much to shine in our side.
4

sirmichealmills added 14:35 - Dec 7
Obviously greedy and doesn't see £35.60 a week and all the carrots you can eat enough .
3

therein61 added 16:51 - Dec 7
I remember when players wanted to come to Ipswich because we were a damn good side and played proper football and the club was respected oh dear happy days!!!!!!!!
8

neilvanlimbeek added 17:04 - Dec 7
Why would he want to sit on the bench when Douglas is picked before him...
6

jas0999 added 17:55 - Dec 7
The point is we are not competitive full stop. Although we shouldn't be paying silly money the whole Murphy debacle was disappointing and proof if we needed it that Evans simply won't pay out ( unless you are prepared to believe the spin that market value was offered). If we can't compete with Preston though - oh dear. A sorry story of our club under Evans and Mick.
8

RaymondovicBlue added 18:17 - Dec 7
I may be wrong here.... But I thought we paid high wages according to the reports... So it probably has more to do with proximity and travel links to Ireland than with wage offers??

Or the promise of regular first team football that he would struggle to get here....

Like I said, I might be wrong.....

2

Michael11 added 20:00 - Dec 7
Wow. Preston North End are a more attractive proposition than us. Quite simply embarrassing supporting ITFC at the moment.
2

GiveusaWave added 23:22 - Dec 7
Michael11
Weird thing is he's going to find it tough even getting on the bench at Preston as they have plenty of players who will be ahead of him in the pecking order. If he signed for us, he'd be straight in the team. Wages wise, I know we used to pay more than Preston in 2013 but the gap over the last 3 years has closed considerably. Preston have a real win-win attitude (to the extent that they fight with each other over poor performances!). Best of luck to him.
2

muhrensweet4thijssen added 06:14 - Dec 8
Says it all really doesn't it. Mick was clearly keen on getting this guy but in the end we are not able to compete with Peston. I thought it would be Newcastle or villa or someone of that financial grade we would lose him to. It certainly looks financially worse than I thought.
Mick is playing with one hand tied behind his back with much bigger boys! So can we just trust he is doing the best with what he has got.
The Football may be sh1t but unlike me don't go Saturday then!
0

blueblood66 added 13:03 - Dec 8
what an embarrassment we have become
0

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 14:15 - Dec 8
So, what do we actually know for a fact from this article? That MM went to Ireland to see the match and PROBABLY to watch Horgan.
Add to that, that he now MIGHT be going to Preston.
Do we know what MM thought of him?
Do we know if we have made any offer
Do we know any personal reasons why this lad might want to live in the North West?
No we don't
So on the back of lots of possibilities and maybes we are now a joke club, have no ambition, are embarrassing!!
Might be best to wait to hear ALL THE FACTS first.
1

Michael11 added 18:39 - Dec 8
@guentchev

You're not wrong mate. Just pains me to say that we're very similar in stature and current ability to a team like Preston (no offence to them).
0

blueboy1981 added 19:18 - Dec 8
........ never before have so many been conned by so few ......... and the worst part of it is - it continues - and will continue to do so.... !!!!
-1

muhrensweet4thijssen added 20:26 - Dec 8
I thought Mick made it public that he wanted Him and that we would be entering into a bidding war for him
0


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