Preston North End are set to lose captain Ben Whiteman ahead of their Championship opener against Bolton Wanderers. Whiteman was absent from the PNE squad against Stockport County over the weekend amid links with Wrexham. Manager Paul Heckingbottom claimed that the midfielder was “trying to force a move”. “Ben told me, told Peter (Ridsdale, CEO) he has played his last game for the club. He is trying to force a move, which is an issue for me and for the players,” Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire. “From a performance point of view, we were in regular conversations in the last few days and Ben knew there was a line I didn't want him to cross. Unfortunately, he has and you can't have that. “My priority now is the players that are here and the players that want to play for us and represent the club. “Craig (Hemmings) will have an issue with that and Peter because they pay the wages and that sort of thing. “There's a valuation on him, I just hope for Ben's sake that Wrexham are willing to pay it, otherwise he's going to put himself in a really sticky situation. “I'm not bothered now, he's made in bed. I'm not bothered as long as I get another player.” Whiteman started 43 of the 46 league games for North End last season, chipping in with two goals and five assists. “The situation now has passed over to Craig and Peter, and like I said, there's a valuation for the player,” Heckingbottom added to Lancashire Post. “I think one thing Craig's really clear on, which is right, is that when you're paying players well and giving good contracts, you can't then allow them to dictate what happens with those contracts. “So put a valuation on him, and like I said, hopefully Wrexham or someone else will stump up the money.” PNE make the short trip to the Toughsheet Stadium on Saturday, August 15 (12.30pm). It will be the Whites’ first game in the Championship since their relegation in 2019. The team currently sits 14th in the Championship, with 60 points from 46 games, and a recent form of LWLLW. They are 35 points behind leaders Coventry and have scored 55 goals this season, conceding 62.