Preston planning without Alan Browne after contract offer deadline expires

Alan Browne’s alternative options to Preston North End may not be as lucrative as he thought, according to Peter Ridsdale.

The former Chairman of Leeds United and Cardiff City has been a director of Preston for since 2011, taking a keen interest in the Irish market. He oversaw the transfer of Browne from Cork City in 2014 and was involved in Grovemoor’s takeover talks with City which were eventually abandoned.

Browne has spent a decade at Deepdale, graduating to club captain and surpassing the 400 appearance landmark, but is currently a free agent.

Interest in the one-club man from fellow Championship clubs such as Coventry City and relegated Sheffield United, where his former Ireland assistant boss Keith Andrews work, is genuine.

The 29-year-old will decide on his future once he returns from holiday and Ridsdale feels staying put, thereby likely finishing his career at Preston, is financially competitive for the Irishman given how “generous” their offer is.

"I can't answer for Alan Browne - you'd need to ask him," Ridsdale told BBC Lancashire about their club skipper.

"Looking on social media, he seems to be in Disneyland at the moment. We have been talking to Alan, on and off, for some time, about whether he wants to stay and what he's looking for etc. We have made him an offer - I think it's a very generous offer.

“Interestingly, on reflection, I think Alan now probably thinks it's very generous - because I'm told that, in the market, he has been asking around to see what others might or might not be offering.

“Our offer would appear to be more generous than he might've thought, at the time we made it.” 

Ridsdale outlined how the club and their manager Ryan Lowe are planning while Browne mulls over his options.

“Yes,