CELINA WAS MAN IN DEMAND

PRESTON boss Alex Neil has revealed he wanted to sign Swansea City star Bersant Celina last summer.

Swansea head to Deepdale this afternoon (3pm) looking for their third win on the bounce following the Championship stroll over Reading and the FA Cup victory over Aston Villa in recent weeks.

Neil, who has a close relationship with Swansea assistant manager Billy Reid, said he was expecting a tough game: “Swansea have had a season of transition.

“They have come down from the Premier League and you can see what Graham and Billy are trying to do there – introducing a lot of younger players and changing their style of play – trying to build from the ground up, if you like.

“Swansea have really good patterns. What you need to take into account is some of the guys they have in their team. We looked at the boy Celina, who scored goals for Ipswich on loan last year. He was someone who we were maybe looking at last summer. I think Swansea bought him for £4 million “

Graham Potter has near enough a full strength side to pick in Lancashire, with Tom Carroll and Martin Olsson the only absentees.