Preston North End

Ali McCann joined Preston North End late on deadline day in August 2021, signing a four-year deal with the club.

The central midfielder had previously spent his entire career with Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone, having joined them as a young boy in 2012.

After a loan move away in 2019, he returned to his parent club and was rewarded with a new deal, and he soon justified that decision, going on to become a regular in their first team, rarely missing a game in the centre of midfield.

Domestic performances then led to involvement in the Northern Ireland national setup, firstly with their youth teams, but his senior debut then followed in 2020.

The 2020/21 campaign was by far his best in his career so far, as could be said of pretty much anybody in the St Johnstone squad, as they completed an unprecedented and historic cup double.

That success meant they had the chance to qualify for European competitions and McCann by no means looked out of place on that stage, impressing against Galatasaray in the Europa League third round qualifier.

He made four appearances in the early stages of the 2021/22 Scottish Premiership campaign for Callum Davidson’s side, but the 21-year-old completed his move to Preston North End on deadline day, saying the opportunity was too good to turn down.

McCann made 28 appearances in his first season at Deepdale, scoring in a fantastic away victory over AFC Bournemouth, and he also netted a brace against Huddersfield Town in the Carabao Cup in August 2022.

When fit and available, the bullish midfielder cemented himself as a regular starter and penned a new deal until 2027 in January 2024.