Preston North End have included Walsall manager Lee Grant on their list of potential hires as they look for a full-time replacement for Paul Heckingbottom. The 43-year-old, who previously played as a goalkeeper, is seen as a leading contender for the position at Deepdale.
Heckingbottom was dismissed earlier this month, and Jason Euell has been placed in temporary command, overseeing a recent draw at Queens Park Rangers. That outcome saw Preston sitting near the bottom of the Championship standings, a situation that has made finding a new manager more urgent.
Grant, who retired from playing recently, took over at Walsall this past summer and has made a positive start, with the team yet to lose a match. He is presently committed to a long-term agreement with the League Two club, meaning any move to Preston would require a compensation payment.
The step up from England's fourth tier to the second is seen as a major one, and there are opinions that it could be an early move for Grant given his brief tenure in management. The financial outlay to secure his services is also expected to be considerable.
Preston are exploring many options, with reports suggesting a substantial number of possible contenders have been identified. Other individuals being considered include Tom Cleverley of Plymouth Argyle, Everton's assistant coach Leighton Baines, former Maccabi Tel Aviv manager Robbie Keane, and Graham Alexander from Bradford City.
The team's current priority is to stop a disappointing sequence of results. Their next league match is at home against Millwall.
Further reading: Yahoo
