Preston North End are delighted to confirm Liam Delap has joined the club on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season.
The 19-year-old spent the first half of the 2022/23 campaign with fellow Championship side Stoke City, scoring three goals, and after being recalled by his parent club, he will now spend the remainder of the season with Ryan Lowe’s side.
Liam, an England U20 international, arrives at Deepdale with experience of training regularly with the Manchester City first team, and he has also featured in the Premier League and Champions League.
Speaking after signing, Liam said: “I’m buzzing. It’s such a great club and I’m really excited to meet the boys and play in front of the fans.
“I’ve spoken to the manager and I’m really happy with what he’s got to say and the style of football he plays, so I can’t wait to get playing under him.
“As a striker at the end of the day, the manager wants goals so that’s what he’s said to me.
“I trust myself in front of goal. I trust myself to get in the right positions so if I get the opportunity then hopefully I can bring that.”
The teenager joined parent club City from Derby County in July 2019 and his first professional contract followed a year later.
He soon worked his way into first team contention, scoring on his senior debut in the Carabao Cup against AFC Bournemouth, while in the same season being named the Premier League 2 Player of the Year after scoring 24 goals in 20 appearances.
Liam has been given the No.7 shirt and could make his North End debut on Saturday when Norwich City come to Deepdale.
Manager Ryan Lowe added: “Liam was one we targeted in the summer because of the work he’d done with City’s U23s and he had some input in the first team with a couple of goals, too.
“With him being called back now we felt it was important to make our move, and I’m really pleased we’ve got it over the line.
“He’s a good lad, a good footballer and a goalscorer. He just needs an opportunity to score goals and hopefully we can give him that.
“Obviously we’re going to be without Emil [Riis] for a long period now too, so we felt we needed to bring an extra body into the building to continue the form we’ve had.”
Liam becomes the second loan signing of the January window, following the arrival of Tom Cannon from Everton on Tuesday.