Ex-PNE striker David Healy loses European Championship qualifying record to Romelu Lukaku
North End set a new transfer record by signing Healy from Manchester United, paying £1.5million rising to £1.8million.
Healy made an instant impact, scoring on his debut against Sheffield United.
The Northern Irishman racked up more than 150 appearances for PNE, scoring 45 goals along the way.
Healy ended up becoming a villain in the eyes of many PNE supporters due to his 2004 move to Leeds United.
Healy appeared to wave to Leeds fans at Elland Road as North End lost 1-0 with speculation surrounding his potential move to Yorkshire.
Leeds completed the move and Healy then celebrated in front of the Alan Kelly Town End upon his first return to Deepdale, scoring twice in a 4-2 Leeds win.
Healy went on to play for the likes of Fulham, Sunderland, Ipswich Town and Rangers before a return to North End was floated.
Graham Westley decided against a deal, realising that bringing Healy back could divide the fanbase.
Healy has since gone into management, winning five league titles in charge of Linfield in his native Northern Ireland.
Just a few years after leaving PNE, Healy set a European Championship qualifying record.
The striker smashed 13 goals for Northern Ireland in qualifying for Euro 2008, setting a record for the most goals scored in a Euro qualifying campaign.
Robert Lewandowski matched that number in 2016 but Healy’s record has now gone.
Romelu Lukaku scored four goals in a 5-0 win over Azerbaijan on Sunday, taking his tally for the campaign to 14.
Healy’s record stood for more than 15 years but the Roma hitman has now blown it away in style.
Some North End fans may still have a sense of schadenfreude over this, maybe still holding something against Healy nearly 20 years since his acrimonious exit.
That his record stood for so long shows what a quality player Healy was though, and it’s a shame his relationship with the fanbase soured to the point where a potential return was kiboshed.
Robert Lewandowski matched that number in 2016 but Healy’s record has now gone.
Romelu Lukaku scored four goals in a 5-0 win over Azerbaijan on Sunday, taking his tally for the campaign to 14.
Healy’s record stood for more than 15 years but the Roma hitman has now blown it away in style.
Some North End fans may still have a sense of schadenfreude over this, maybe still holding something against Healy nearly 20 years since his acrimonious exit.
That his record stood for so long shows what a quality player Healy was though, and it’s a shame his relationship with the fanbase soured to the point where a potential return was kiboshed.
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Preston North End have received a boost after it was reported that it would be ‘unlikely’ that Sunderland would sign one of their reported January transfer targets.
Hammarby centre-back Nathaniel Adjei is a reported target for Ryan Lowe, however there has been interest from two other Championship sides, and clubs in Scotland. Adjei, who has burst on to the scene in Sweden, is quickly emerging as one of Europe’s highly-rated young defenders.
Sister website the Sunderland Echo report that Adjei is ‘unlikely’ to be a transfer priority when the window opens in just over a months time. The Wearside club signed Jenson Seelt and Nectrarios Triantis in the summer, whilst Luke O’Nien and Dan Ballard have both signed new contracts which makes a move for another central defender unlikely at this stage. Sunderland instead will focus on signing either a holding midfielder or look to recruit players in the wide area, rather than in central defence.
North End must now get past the interest of other reported clubs. Middlesbrough are said to be keen, meanwhile Scottish Premiership giants Celtic and Rangers are also said to hold an interest. Swedish outlet Fotbolldirekt also reported that Leeds United are tracking the defender.
It was reported by the Scottish press that Rangers have been scouting him in-person meanwhile the Scottish champions Celtic just hold an interest at this stage. A transfer report from the Sun said that PNE, along with Middlesbrough and Sunderland had been interested in pursuing a loan move, and that it would cost £3m to sign him permanently.
Adjei is under contract at Hammarby until the summer of 2026, and is now on a break after the Swedish football season has ended. with Hammarby finishing in seventh in the Allsvenskan. Adjei played 21 times in the league, and was part of a defence that kept six clean sheets. Sweden’s football season usually does not start until April, and so there is plenty of time for a deal to be constructed.
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