The striker completed a deadline-day transfer from Everton to City despite Preston, his former loan club, showing a lot of interest.
Peter Risdale, the director of Preston North End, has asserted time and time again that Everton ‘moved the goalposts’ in relation to a deal for Tom Cannon, a new striker for Leicester City, during the summer transfer window.
The 20-year-old, who was the ninth newcomer of the summer, moved to City on the deadline day. After the interval, when City travels to face Southampton, he might make his club debut.
Preston did, in fact, have a proposal accepted by the Toffees, but City had already moved since they were late. When given the option, Cannon chose to sign with City rather than Preston.
Risdale has finally discussed the Cannon saga and provided information on what transpired during the summer.
“As you have seen in this transfer window, there are many players that similar clubs have tried to sign. Overall, I think we got what we wanted,” he told the Lancashire Post.
“The only person we didn’t go to was Tom Cannon, and Tom didn’t go to one of the clubs they said was for him the whole time we were there. He went to Leicester, where the payment by parachute was received, and arrived last Thursday. I guess our disappointment with Tom was that we got the deal done very early on – it was an expensive loan. Everton agreed but said the timing would be up to them, not us. They then changed the goal last week to make it permanent.
“We then made a bid, which was turned down. We subsequently made a second proposal, which was modified in response to their requests. Our offer was approved by Everton in writing, and I have his consent to speak with me. This would have broken our previous record for a transfer agreement. Then Tom called to tell that Leicester had arrived and that he was interested in visiting them because they were expected to be promoted. Though it was heartbreaking for us, we hadn’t disregarded our backup and backup plans, to be honest.
The director’s account is consistent with that of manager Ryan Lowe, who disclosed that Cannon had the option of joining Preston but decided to sign with City on the final day of the transfer window.
After the summer transfer window, he is one of City’s four active attackers. Although Patson Daka’s projected loan move to Bournemouth fell through late on deadline day, his departure was anticipated to occur in the closing hours of the window.
