[themaclad]

Preston North End are delighted to confirm Lewis Gibson has joined the club for a seven-figure fee from Plymouth Argyle.

The central defender has signed a deal at Deepdale which will keep him at PNE until at least the summer of 2028.

Lewis, 24, has made 72 appearances in the Sky Bet Championship during his career and has captained Plymouth Argyle on a number of occasions this season.

Lewis said: “I'm delighted. It's been a whirlwind 24-48 hours, but I'm really happy to be here. I’m really excited for the challenge and I can’t wait to get going.

“I feel like the club over the years has been a very stable Championship club. It's a project now where I want to take it to the next level and try and break it into the top six and potentially go ahead.

“I've got real excitement and a real fire in the belly about getting going. I can’t wait to get out there, especially at home and playing in front of the home fans to show them what I can do.”

Lewis came through the ranks at Middlesbrough and Newcastle United before moving on to Everton in 2017, the same summer that he lifted the FIFA U17 World Cup trophy with England.




After four loans spells in the EFL, the defender joined Plymouth Argyle permanently in 2023 and went on to make 63 appearances for the Pilgrims.

He’s now taken the No.19 shirt at Deepdale and will be available to make his debut in the Emirates FA Cup third round clash against Charlton Athletic on Saturday 11th January.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom said: “Lewis is a really good defender who we’re delighted to have been able to bring in.

“We’ve beaten a few clubs to his signature so I think he’s excited about what he’s walking into here and likewise we’re excited to add him to our squad.

“He’s a player who the fans will quickly see is very capable with the ball at his feet, but he’s also someone who just loves to defend and he’s shown that he can do that to a high level in the Championship.”