.jpeg?width=1200&auto=webp&quality=75&trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0&crop= "Preston North End close in on permanent signing of Alfie Devine from Tottenham Hotspur - Lancashire Evening Post")
The Tottenham Hotspur loan man provided 16 goal contributions for PNE last season
Sign up to our Preston North End newsletter
Sign up
Thank you for signing up!
Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Lancashire Evening Post, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
Submitting...
Preston North End are closing in on the permanent signing of Alfie Devine, the Lancashire Post understands.
The Lilywhites have been pursuing the signature of the Tottenham Hotspur man all summer, following his impressive loan spell last season. It is believed the 21-year-old has now agreed to join PNE amid fierce competition from other clubs.
It is a move which would see North End smash their previous transfer record, with Devine’s buy-option thought to be in the region of £6million. Preston activated their option in early June and while there were a handful of false dawns in recent weeks, they remained in discussions.
The Deepdale outfit will spread the transfer fee over a few years after fending off interest from Celtic, Wolves, Southampton and even Lancashire rivals, Burnley. Devine is believed to have pushed for a return to the Lilywhites.
Last season was the former England youth international’s fourth loan move away from Spurs, as he made 48 appearances across all competitions and scored eight goals. PNE boss Paul Heckingbottom had made it crystal clear he wanted to bring Devine back.
When the 21-year-old was asked about it in April, he said: “I know that I'll be pushing for the thing that will probably be the best for me and what I want for myself, not what other people will want for me.
“There's obviously the buy option in the loan and stuff. It's hard to say whether that'll happen or that won't happen, because in football things change so fast. I'll be sure to pick something that's right for me and if that takes time, then it takes time.”