EVERTON youngster Adam Eaton has become North End's newest recruit.
The 19-year-old left-back has signed on the dotted line with Preston and will make the short journey from Merseyside on July 1 for a nominal fee.
And while Everton have agreed to part company with Eaton, they have insisted on a potentially lucrative sell-on clause, such is their confidence that the youngster will produce the goods at Deepdale.
Wigan-born Eaton would, according to sources at Goodison Park, be playing regular first team football for the Toffees had it not been for the fact that fellow youngster Michael Ball is currently doing such a good job in the left-hand role.
Eaton, who joined Everton as a schoolboy and played in the side which won the FA Youth Cup in 1997-98, has been plying his trade in the reserves.
The Citizen revealed last week that Preston had their eye on a left-back at Everton - with any of Everton's four left backs potential targets.
Although PNE refused to confirm the signing, an Everton spokesman said: "Eaton will join Preston on July 1 for a nominal fee but with a sell-on clause written into the deal."
The signing of Eaton could spell the end of Dominic Ludden's career at Deepdale. He has been linked with a big-money move to newly-promoted Manchester City, just a few weeks after extending his contract with Preston.
News of Eaton's imminent arrival comes at the end of a turbulent week for North End, who have experienced both the highs and lows of dabbling in the close-season transfer market.
Birmingham City striker Nicky Forster snubbed North End in favour of a move to fellow Division Two side Reading after the southern club moved in with an eleventh hour bid.
PNE firmly believe Forster's change of heart is purely personal and nothing to do with the offer PNE had placed on the table.
But Forster is bound to have infuriated the Deepdale board - not to mention the club's faithful - by saying that the Royals "match his ambition" which could be taken to mean PNE do not.
His bizarre statement came just two days after his agent, Eric Hall, proclaimed that PNE had been "monster generous" with their offer, adding that Forster "would be delighted to sign."
Another player to snub Deepdale was Scott Sellars, who has opted to plump for life in Division One with Huddersfield Town. Sellars had been strongly linked with a switch to Deepdale, though it would be unusual for David Moyes to buy in such an old player - Sellars is 33 - as part of his quest for "new blood."
PNE have been drawn at home to Wrexham for the first round of the Worthington Cup, scheduled for August 10, with the return on August 24. Full league fixtures were due to be announced today (Thursday).
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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