This summer, Preston North End is rumoured to be interested in US Cremonese midfielder Charles Pickel.
Even though the 2023–24 Championship season isn’t over, a number of rumours have already surfaced connecting the Lilywhites to a number of players. Pickel has joined Marc Leonard and Reece Cole from Brighton and Exeter City as midfielders that North End is reportedly targeting.
Given that other teams are also interested in Pickel, Preston may already have some challenges in signing him. After he came to their attention, Celtic reportedly made an approach for the midfield player, according to Football Scotland. Their scouts think he would ‘absolutely’ match the profile, therefore moving to Celtic Park is very likely.
Pickel is attracting’serious’ interest from PNE and Leeds United, although it’s possible that he has already made up his mind. Although it is not yet known if Celtic will act, Football Scotland reports that Celtic is his desired destination.
A 26-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Cremonese in the second division of Italian football is the most recent player to be linked. In 24 games this season, he has contributed one assist and three goals to his team’s Serie B campaign, which is now in fourth place as they fight for promotion.
Born in Switzerland, Pickel is qualified to represent the Democratic Republic of the Congo ten times. Due to his attendance at the Africa Cup of Nations, where he started six of their seven games and helped them get to the semi-finals, he was absent in January and February.
He played just three games with FC Basel throughout his senior career before moving on to Grasshoppers. In 2019, Grenoble, a French team, signed him permanently after he had a loan spell at Neuchâtel Xamax. After a season in Portugal with Famalicao, the star from Solothurn played two years there. In 2022, after they were promoted, he joined Cremonese.
