Exclusive: Heckingbottom Returns to Old Hunting Ground as Preston Target Davis Keillor-Dunn

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom hopes his history with Barnsley give him an advantage in the race to sign Davis Keillor-Dunn, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

As revealed by SportsBoom earlier this season, Barnsley were braced for more bids, after turning down approaches in the summer, for their talismanic hitman over the winter.

North End were one of three Championship clubs, alongside Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough, to send scouts to Anfield to watch the striker in action during the Tykes’ FA Cup clash with Liverpool.

The 28-year-old, Barnsley’s Player of the Year last season, has been one of the most prolific scorers in the English Football League in the past few years.

Since signing for Mansfield Town in January 2023, he has netted 57 leagues goals. 

This season he has scored 14 goals in 31 appearances which had led him to attract attention in the Championship.

Our sources have been told Preston are preparing a bid for the player. 

A Memorable History

Lilywhites’ boss Heckingbottom played for the Tykes during his career and returned to coach the side between 2015-2018.

During his time at Oakwell, the head coach, affectionately known as Hecky, presided over the famous Wembley double where the club won Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and got promoted to the Championship via the play-offs in the 2015/16 campaign. 

Ironically, current Barnsley boss Conor Hourihane was Heckingbotom’s captain during his spell at the South Yorkshire club and raiding the Tykes’ of their top scorer could sour the pair’s close friendship. 

January has painfully been the window where Barnsley fans have been forced to say goodbye to some of their most beloved stars over the years with Hourihane, Sam Winnall, James Bree and Ben Killip high-profile names who have left in the winter window.

And it could happen again with the virtues circling for both Keillor-Dunn and Reyes Cleary this month. 

Keillor-Dunn is contracted to the club until 2027 with a club option for a further year.