Unsettled former club captain Chris Lucketti has joined Sheffield United on loan until the end of the season, with a fee already agreed for the move to become permanent, according to the club website.
The defender was supposedly out with a groin strain for three weeks. For the move to come now has confirmed recent speculation that all was not well for the centre-back at the club.
Lucketti, 34, was said to be disappointed at having a transfer move from United blocked in the recent transfer window and was reportedly unhappy after being left out of the squad in favour of Youl Mawene and Claude Davis.
Many have been left surprised at the move, as North End have been down to the bare bones at the back in recent games.
Davies today fired a parting shot at Lucketti, stating in no uncertain terms that the centre-back didn’t want to remain a Preston player. In a scathing statement on the club website, Davies said: “Chris has made it very clear to us that he doesn’t want to be here and doesn’t want to be a part of [the good work we’re doing at the club].
“It is only recently that we gave Chris Lucketti a new contract. He was very happy to sign it and now this has come up and he has made it very clear to everyone at this football club that he wants to move on and doesn’t want to be with us.”
Davies recognised that keeping the defender at the club could have upset the dressing room harmony in the run-in to the playoffs and made the decision to let him go. Despite being a good servant for the club, fans are understandably somewhat nonplussed at Lucketti’s conduct.
Brian Herron, 65, from Brighouse, West Yorkshire said: “Sorry that he had to leave in such circumstances but no player is bigger than the manager and the club. He has been a good servant but his playing days at Deepdale were coming to a close in view of the fact that he didn’t fit in with the style of football Billy Davies wants to play.
“Good luck to the man – he’ll need it at Sheffield but also well done (club chairman) Derek Shaw for getting such a good price.”
The fee for Lucketti is thought to have been set at around the £300,000 mark, a good return for a 34-year-old. He cost £750,000 nearly five years ago.
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