Preston North End have suffered a blow with midfielder Lewis Leigh turning down a new deal, and with his contract now officially expired, the former Liverpool academy player is now free to speak with other clubs and newly promoted League Two side Bromley are reportedly the favourites for his signature.
The 20-year-old had loan spells with Bromley and Crewe Alexandra last season. His spell in the National League with the former was particularly impressive, with The Ravens not losing a single game in which Leigh appeared.
Preston Squad Weakened With Post-Season Departures
PNE have lost the services of the Irish duo Greg Cunningham and club captain Alan Browne after both players’ contracts expired at the end of the 2024 season. 29-year-old Browne is arguably the club’s star player, with four goals and four assists in 41 Championship appearances. The loss of Browne’s all-round game will be a major blow as he has been with the club for his entire career, making over 400 appearances in all competitions.
Liam Millar has returned to FC Basel after contributing five goals and five assists across 35 Championship matches, 28 of which were starts. The Canadian international competing in the Copa America displayed versatility playing on both sides, and his attacking threat would be sorely missed.
Preston lost their last five Championship matches and finished in tenth place, ten points off securing a place in the playoff positions. The club have been in the second tier since 2015/16, comfortably finishing in mid-table positions, narrowly missing out on the playoffs on occasion.
Bromley Secure Historic Promotion to The Football League
The London club secured their first-ever promotion to League Two after beating Solihull Moors on a penalty shoot-out in the National League playoff final at Wembley Stadium. Manager Andy Woodman will need to strengthen his squad and has identified a player who was a key component of their success in the first half of the campaign.
The Lancashire Post reports that Lewis Leigh has turned down a new deal with Bromley leading the race for his signature. Leigh played 16 times for Crewe in the second half of the season and helped the club land a spot in the League Two playoffs, scoring a penalty in the penalty shoot-out victory over Doncaster in the semi-finals.
The midfielder appeared from the bench in the playoff final defeat to Crawley Town at Wembley. He will be a welcome addition to the newly promoted side who are set to embark on a historic first season in the fourth tier. The London club have also resigned centre-back Omar Sowunmi from Sutton United to kickstart their summer transfer business.