Portsmouth transfer news: What Preston North End CEO Peter Ridsdale has said about 'failed' £2m bid for Callum Lang
PNE chief executive Peter Ridsdale has spoken about rumours that linked the Deepdale side with a failed £2m move for Pompey favourite Callum Lang
Preston North End chief executive Peter Ridsdale said he’s not sure where reports of a failed £2m bid for Pompey forward Callum Lang came from over the weekend.
But the Lilywhites director admitted he has made enquiries and offers for a number of frontmen this summer - without confirming or denying whether the Fratton favourite is on boss Paul Heckingbottom’s wanted list.
One of those probes has clearly paid off, with the Blues’ Championship rivals unveiling former Pompey and Sheffield Wednesday striker Michael Smith as their latest signing of the transfer window on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old penned a two-year deal at Deepdale after joining on a free transfer following the mutual termination of his contract at Hillsborough. He represents North End’s seventh new arrival of the summer and signs three days after they were linked with a bold move for Fratton favourite Lang.
Since then, Blues chief executive Andy Cullen has spoken to The News about the ‘so-called interest’ - although he remained adamant that the club would not be drawn into commenting on ‘unsubstantiated links’ for players.
Now opposite number Ridsdale has followed suit in a similar vein. Albeit with the confession he has been in contact with clubs about particular forwards thus summer.
Peter Ridsdale’s response to reported Callum Lang bid
When asked specifically about a reported failed bid for Lang by our sister title, the Lancashire Evening Post, the PNE CEO responded: ‘I can't comment on any player at another football club who's contracted, can I?’
‘I don't know where that came from.
‘There are a number of strikers that we have enquired about over the last few weeks. I’ve given an indicative view of our value of those I've enquired about, and to the extent that some of those we've enquired about haven't joined us, (but) we haven't finished yet.’
When answering a similar line of questioning, Ridsdale added some of the fees clubs were demanding for their attackers were ‘a joke’.
‘We have made bids for a number of strikers and some of the numbers we've been quoted are a joke,’ he said.
‘But they're their players, and if they're their players and their strikers, they can ask what they want, can't they?’
Callum Lang on life at Portsmouth and potential new deal
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Lang has quickly established himself as a firm fans’ favourite at Fratton Park following his move from Wigan in January 2024.
His energetic and committed displays in the Pompey shirt - along with his eye for goal - have made him an instant hit down these parts, with few seeing the benefits of John Mousinho’s side being without the Liverpudlian.
In fact, many believe the 26-year-old is deserving of a new deal, with his current Fratton Park contract due to expire next summer.
Pompey have the option to extend Lang’s stay beyond that for another 12 months.
And speaking to The News during this month’s pre-season training camp in Slovakia, the forward admitted talks surrounding a new deal is something he would welcome.
He said: ‘I’m really settled (at Portsmouth), the missus is back down with the dogs and we are enjoying it.
‘It’s a nice little dog walk down Southsea and we are always out for a coffee and food. We have two Frenchies. My missus is enjoying it and I’m enjoying it down here. Hopefully I will be down here for a long time.
‘There’s a year left on my contract, so hopefully that can be something which gets started at some point. I do enjoy it down here. There have been no conversations about that yet, I’ll just see how that goes.
‘I’m enjoying it here, so I think it (the contract) will be an easy conversation if it ever comes about. For now, I am just concentrating on my football and I’m enjoying it.’