Official: Preston beat Leeds, Aston Villa & Swansea to sign Lukas Nmecha on loan from Man City – City Watch

Preston North End have won the race to sign Lukas Nmecha on loan from Manchester City after a host of Championship clubs made efforts to recruit him.

✍️ BREAKING: #pnefc are delighted to confirm the signing of @ManCity’s @England U21 striker Lukas Nmecha on a season-long loan.

Full details ➡️ho4TKkA6fm pic.twitter.com/8hJOhlyzE8

— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) August 9, 2018

The 19-year-old striker is one of English football’s most promising players in his position and the likes of Leeds, Aston Villa, West Brom, Swansea and Blackburn have all made moves to sign him for the season.

It was thought the presence of Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds could lead Nmecha to Elland Road, and then he was spotted in the Aston Villa area of the Hull director’s box during the two teams’ weekend game.

However, with a promise of weekly first-team football that the others perhaps might not have offered, Nmecha has opted for Preston, where he will wear the number 45 shirt.

Lukas will link up with fellow City talent Brandon Barker, who joined the Championship side on loan recently.

Preston boss Alex Neil was delighted with the coup, speaking highly of Nmecha.

“We have been targeting this for a while now. I believe we have signed one of the brightest centre forwards in the country at his age group,” Neil said.

“Manchester City have got really high hopes for him. He has spent the last six months training with their first team and we have managed to persuade him that the next stage of his development is to come and play for Preston North End.

“I think it a huge compliment of what we are trying to do and hopefully this will be a mutually beneficial move for both parties.”

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