[themaclad]

reston North End are delighted to confirm Ryan Porteous has joined the club on loan from Watford.

The central defender will spend the remainder of the season at Deepdale and will take the No.2 shirt.

Ryan arrives with experience of playing regularly in the Championship and also on the international stage with Scotland.

Ryan said: “I’m delighted. It’s all come about quite fast. When the manager spoke to me, having worked with him before at Hibs, I was pretty sure that I was going to come here.

“I'm looking forward to it. I think at the age I am now, I need a consistent run of games and a healthy environment. I feel that Preston can provide that right now.”


The 25-year-old began his career with his boyhood club Hibernian, where he worked with PNE manager Paul Heckingbottom.

After more than 150 appearances for Hibs, Ryan made the move to England to join up with Watford in January 2023.

He’s since featured 82 times for the Hornets and the defender has also earned 12 caps for Scotland, including an appearance at the 2024 European Championships.

Paul Heckingbottom said: “I’m really pleased we’ve managed to bring Ryan in. He’s a player I know well from my time at Hibernian and I’m looking forward to working with him again.

“We’re unfortunately going to be missing Jordan Storey for a while through injury, so it’s a position which we wanted to cover and we’ve managed to do that by adding quality with Ryan.

“He’s an international defender with experience of playing regularly in the Championship, so he’ll be a good addition for us between now and the end of the season

Preston North End are delighted to confirm Kitt Nelson has signed a new contract with the club.

The 20-year-old, who has progressed through the PNE Academy since joining at an early age, has signed a new deal to keep him at Deepdale until at least 2028.

He will now join up with Cork City ahead of the start of their season and will remain at Turners Cross until 30th June.

Kitt said: “I’m over the moon really. I’ve been here since I was eight so to sign a new deal, I’m just delighted and looking forward to the hard work ahead.

“When you’re young, you’re always trying to impress and earn yourself a contract with the aim of breaking into the first team. I’m really excited to have the opportunity to really kick on over the next few years.

“I can’t thank the gaffer enough for what he’s done for me. He’s brought me up to the first team environment and I’ve noticed myself improving every day.

“I’m really excited for my loan spell at Cork now, too. They’ve got good fans out there and they’re a big ambitious club so I’m delighted with the opportunity to get some more experience.”

Kitt was predominantly an attacker coming through the ranks at North End, scoring plenty of goals throughout the age groups and particularly for the U19s.

He’s shown versatility this season, though, as he’s operated on the right of a back four or as a wing-back in Premier League Cup matches and in the Central League.

Kitt has been involved in four Championship matchday squads this season and has regularly trained with the first team at Euxton.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom said: “Kitt’s definitely deserved his new deal. He’s a great lad with a top attitude and he’s worked really hard ever since I arrived.

“I think his loan to Cork will do him the world of good in terms of going out and getting that experience in a good league and getting used to playing men’s football.”