paul heckingbottom on milutin osmajic is now front and center at Preston North End, after the manager made clear he does not want the striker to enter the last 12 months of his contract. Speaking in the latest update on the situation, Heckingbottom said the club must either move to sell the Montenegro international this summer or extend his stay at Deepdale. The comments come as Osmajic continues to draw attention for both his goals and his disciplinary record.
Heckingbottom wants a decision this summer
Heckingbottom framed the issue as part of Preston’s wider need to improve how it handles player contracts and squad planning. He said he had been “really clear” that the club cannot afford to let the situation drift, stressing that letting a valuable player run down his deal is not a position he wants to repeat.
Osmajic has scored eight league goals this season, but he has also missed 12 games through suspension. The striker had already missed eight games last year after biting Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck, while this campaign brought a nine-game ban after racism allegations made against him by Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri. In his fourth game back from that absence, Osmajic was sent off after headbutting Hull City’s John Lundstram, which led to a three-game suspension.
That record has made the contract issue more pressing. Heckingbottom linked the need for action to Preston’s broader ambition to build steadily, saying the club has to improve year on year and make better decisions about when to sell and when to buy.
paul heckingbottom on milutin osmajic and the wider Preston plan
Heckingbottom also referenced Preston’s recent experience with Emil Riis leaving on a free, saying that loss underlined why the club needs to act earlier when it comes to player value. He suggested that allowing another key player to reach the final year of a deal without a plan would leave the club merely “clinging on” rather than moving forward.
On whether interest in Osmajic is already building, the Preston boss would not be drawn into speculation. He said he was not prepared to discuss possible suitors until the summer, and made clear that conversations with players about contract futures would wait until then.
Immediate reaction from the manager
Heckingbottom’s comments also touched on Osmajic’s professionalism away from the training ground. He said the player is “always a good person around the place, ” but added that he needs to be more professional in his lifestyle, preparation and recovery. The manager stressed that Osmajic is not a bad person, but one who reacts to situations in a way he cannot afford.
“I think I’ve been really clear on that, ” Heckingbottom said. “One area we need to improve as a football team, if we want to build things, is get control of situations – that’s it. ”
He added that Osmajic would give himself a better chance if he were more professional away from the club, saying those habits matter for both body and mind.
What happens next
The key question now is whether Preston North End move to sell or extend, with the summer set to bring the first real test of that decision. For now, Heckingbottom has made his stance plain: paul heckingbottom on milutin osmajic is not about delay, but about action before the striker enters the final 12 months of his deal.
