Alfie Devine believes Preston North End's record summer spending will ultimately pay off despite a disastrous start to the Championship season. The club's most expensive ever signing says the new arrivals have made a 'massive improvement' to the squad's quality.

Devine was signed permanently for a fee of around £6 million after a successful loan spell, a move that nearly tripled the club's previous transfer record. Five of the six most expensive players in the club's history arrived during July and August, with Harry Clarke, Leo Leroy, Stanley Mills and Johnny Kenny also joining for significant fees. The spending spree represented a dramatic shift in strategy for the Deepdale club.

Early season struggles

That investment has not yet translated to results on the pitch. Preston have collected just four points from their opening 11 games, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the Championship. They have lost their last three matches, conceding nine goals in that run, including a 4-1 defeat at Wrexham last Saturday where Devine scored a consolation goal. Their overall goal difference stands at a troubling minus 15.

"I think the deals that we've done in the summer bringing in the permanent players and the loan players, I think's very good," Devine told reporters. He also highlighted the loan additions of Caleb Wiley, Delano Burgzorg, Jusef Erabi and Liam Gibbs.

Devine's perspective

The 21-year-old midfielder acknowledges the team must find answers quickly. "You see the money we spent and I think there's a reason why," he said. Devine stressed that the players need to improve their collective response when they fall behind in games, a scenario that has become all too familiar this season.

He believes results will come with greater team cohesion and time for the new signings to fully integrate and feel the team spirit. The club's recent fixtures have been unforgiving, with heavy losses to Birmingham City and Millwall preceding the Wrexham defeat.

Graham Alexander, who replaced Paul Heckingbottom as manager, now faces the urgent task of moulding this expensive squad into a competitive unit. Their next opportunity comes this Saturday at Deepdale against West Bromwich Albion, a match that represents a critical test for Preston's revamped squad.

Further reading: Lancashire Evening Post