The Football League Paper

JAYDEN’S EAGER TO KEEP ON SCORING

Striker relishing new challenge at Preston

- By Tom Blackett

JAYDEN Stockley is determined to maintain his goalscorin­g form with new club Preston North End – and manager Alex Neil believes he’s the target man they’ve been crying out for. The 25-year-old striker joined the Lilywhites from Exeter on a threeand-a-half year deal for a fee understood to be £750,000 on Thursday.

He was the leading scorer in England’s top four divisions in 2018 and had already netted 16 goals for the Grecians this term.

Now the former Bournemout­h and Aberdeen striker has jumped two divisions to the Championsh­ip. It is a big leap, but the 6ft 3ins forward is confident he will rise to the challenge.

“I’m glad I can come here in a rich vein of form and hopefully I can continue that and offer my qualities to this already strong team,” he said. “I feel confident and I’m very thankful for the move.”

Confident

Former Norwich boss Neil is delighted to have got the Poole-born hitman on board.

“We have spoken at length about having a big target man since Jordan Hugill left,” he said. “We can turn the ball up to him, work around him and now when teams sit in, we can put the ball into the box and expect the big fella to hopefully get on the end of some of them.

“He will certainly give us a different option.”

Neil has also snapped up Walsall winger Josh Ginnelly and Barnsley midfielder Brad Potts.

Former Burnley man Ginnelly, 21, has penned a two-and-a-half year contract, signing for an undisclose­d fee.

Neil said: “He has real quality and is technicall­y very good.”

Potts, 24, has arrived on a three-and-a-half year deal. Neil added: “Brad is a player we have been watching for a while. He has really good energy, is a good age and good size.”

All three new boys won’t figure against Doncaster in the FA Cup this afternoon as they are cup-tied.

 ?? PICTURE: PA Images ?? STEPPING UP: Jayden Stockley has left Exeter to join Preston
PICTURE: PA Images STEPPING UP: Jayden Stockley has left Exeter to join Preston

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