Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Town Closing in On Harrop Loan Signing
Monday, 18th Jan 2021 10:38

TWTD understands that Town are closing in on the loan signing of midfielder or wideman Josh Harrop from Preston and the move could be completed today.

The 25-year-old, who prefers to play as a number 10, is due to travel to Suffolk today to finalise the formalities relating to the deal.

As reported on Thursday, Preston's recruitment of another midfielder, Ben Whiteman from Doncaster, has freed up Harrop to make the switch with discussions having continued since that deal was completed.

Stockport-born Harrop, who is understood to have been the player Stuart Taylor said Town hoped to sign before the Swindon match, joined Preston in June 2017 having come through the youth system at Manchester United, where he made one Premier League start for the Red Devils in a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace on the final day of 2016/17 and scored the opening goal.

Harrop, who is 5ft 9in tall, has made 39 starts and 55 sub appearances for Preston, scoring 13 times.

However, this season Harrop has made four starts, one in the Championship, and four appearances from the bench, scoring once. He was left out of the 20-man squad which lost 2-0 at Bristol City at the weekend.

Capped three times by England’s U20s, Harrop signed a new contract at Deepdale which runs to 2023 in August.

At 25, Harrop counts as a senior player in terms of the salary cap with the club having a limit of 22 players aged over 21.

In addition to Harrop, the Blues are also eyeing Luke Thomas, who is looking to move to play more games having had limited opportunities at Barnsley.

Another player TWTD has learned Town were keen on is 18-year-old Manchester City winger Morgan Rogers, who opted to join Lincoln City on loan a fortnight ago.


Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



unknown100 added 10:42 - Jan 18
I have heard good things about him, good technically, tricky, I think some new faces in the dressing room can make a big difference

Does anyone else think we are crying out for a striker more than anything???
13

dreblue added 10:59 - Jan 18
@unknown100 - sadly I think we could have the best striker in the league and they will still struggle to score. Our problem is the fact that Lambert would rather we played the ball at the back.... our lack of creativity is VERY worrying.

Our goal on Saturday was our first shot on target! Speaks volumes vs a side that have a very poor defensive record. With the personnel we have, we should be creating a lot more. Even with all the injuries. Our starting line up on Saturday had (on paper) plenty of potential.

It just doesn't look like the players are comfortable to try a risky pass or actually all commit going forward...
10

Pencilpete added 11:00 - Jan 18
Nice of the might Preston to loan little old Ipswich their reserves
2

OwainG1992 added 11:01 - Jan 18
Could well be a key creative player which we arguably lack.
My neighbour is a life long Preston fan and rates him.
Certainly good enough to be a Championship player.
1

Mark added 11:19 - Jan 18
I am glad we are looking to strengthen. So Harrop prefers to play as a number 10, just like Judge does. Hmmm... I can't help but worry that one up front still won't work.
1

OriginalMarkyP added 11:23 - Jan 18
Erm...pencilpete, that would be the Preston that have won the FA Cup twice, the League title/old first division twice, the old second division three times, the old third div (you know, the one we are currently in!) twice and the old fourth once. I would say in terms of honours they certainly are mighty compared to us. And you might say many of the those honours were won a LONG time ago, but then look at us...ours aren't particularly recent are they? And therein lies the problem. So many fans bark the myth about us being a big club, and carry this sense of wounded entitlement that we should always be winning stuff or we're too good for where we are. The facts are the facts and that simply isn't true. We are a small provincial club that has had more than it's fair share of success in the past. We're not there at the moment. It might come again. But we are not ENTITLED to it. If clubs previous achievements entitled them to anything Preston would be infront of us in the queue.
37

unknown100 added 11:25 - Jan 18
@dreblue- completely agree, rumours are (not sure if any truth) that Jackson's on his way, I'm just worried that Norwood gets injured and we then don't really have anyone!
-1

ArnieM added 11:32 - Jan 18
All this faffing about and it's only a bloody loan signing !!
2

Suffolkboy added 11:43 - Jan 18
It WILL be interesting to watch what occurs ; as a ManU trainee at least H will come with ingrained good habits and methods .Lets hope he brings a certain independence of thought and imaginative deed that we definitely need more of .
The conundrum of squad of management is this year exaggerated by the ‘ imposed ‘ financial and quantitative restrictions but ought not to be too much of a problem ,just intelligent manoeuvring .
Where there's light there's hope !
COYB
2

alfie2002 added 11:44 - Jan 18
He is exactly what we need in the midfield three, but Harrop being the more advanced one linking up with Nors, hope he's involved on Saturday from the start so we can actually compete!
2

naenormalblues added 12:03 - Jan 18
From what I've heard many Preston fans are disappointed with this and wanted Neil to give him a chance in the first team. Quality signing
1

ArnieM added 12:05 - Jan 18
Thing is if Lambert was going to play him in a dual strike force with either Norwood or Jackson, I could perhaps get a bit excited or even interested in him joining us. But if Lambert persists with one up front , why the hell bother?
1

blues1 added 12:28 - Jan 18
Arnie M. What the hell are you on about? Why would Lambert okay him up front as part of a 2 man strike force? Hes a midfielder. The no10 role is actually an advanced midfield role. Which is his preferred position. As for fading about? No, we had to wait for them to sign some1 which only happened in the middle if lastcwerk. Plus, had to agree what portion of his wages we were going to pay. No doubt both clubs wanted to pay as little of that as they could get away with. So had to agree to that.
-1

Radlett_blue added 12:29 - Jan 18
Harrop sounds potentially a decent player, but he has had hamstring problems in each of the last 2 years so let's not get too excited given Town's abysmal injury record.
-1

runningout added 12:31 - Jan 18
Could definitely do with more than one new face to hit us into shape. Next Patrick Vierra or David Batty will do
-1

norfolkbluey added 12:32 - Jan 18
Personally I would like him to sit just behind the front man Norwood or Jackson to press forward and pass forward instead of this constant sideways passing. Seeing Man City attacking on match of the day was breath taking. Town just don't do this and there are no runners expecting a forward pass. Will this happen under PL, who knows? I worry about Saturday coming if we continue in this mode. Let's see COYB
-1

BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 12:34 - Jan 18
Decent signing and shows guts to have got over his long-term injury (rupturing his ACL). A few years back that was a career-ending injury. Good on him to be back in the game so soon.
1

spanishblue added 12:54 - Jan 18
Lambert will stop that shooting at goal not allowed Josh
-5

midastouch added 13:22 - Jan 18
Like the look of him, get him in lovely jubbly! Could give us some much-needed spark!
-1

midastouch added 13:32 - Jan 18
Didn't realise how few games he's started in his career. See here:

Josh Harrop - 25 years old - started 32 League games in his career by itfcjoe 18 Jan 2021 10:42
You know how this one is going to play out



That's a bit of a concern. Is he another Teddy Bishop? Worth a try on loan as we might get lucky but we don't very often get lucky in the injury department do we!
0

Nobbysnuts added 13:42 - Jan 18
If I was his advisor I would tell him not come here... his confidence will be shattered by our management.....
-1

ArnieM added 13:56 - Jan 18
Blues1....keep yer hair on
0

ArnieM added 13:58 - Jan 18
Isn't AD's best position in the forward midfield role ? ....and then there's Judge also. So why get yet another midfielder? Sorry don't get it .
0

ArnieM added 14:00 - Jan 18
....would also add, in the “ good old days” the no.9 and no.10 were strike partners.

“Forward midfield role” my arse......
1

Linkboy13 added 14:04 - Jan 18
Pencilpete you need to wake up and smell the coffee Preston are streets ahead of us at the moment.
1


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024