Liam Gibbs is hoping to make his mark at Preston North End after completing a season-long loan move on deadline day.
The move to Deepdale marks a significant change for the 23-year-old, who has spent his entire career in his home region of East Anglia, coming through the academy ranks at Ipswich Town before crossing the border to join Norwich City in July 2021.
Gibbs has since made 101 appearances for the Canaries, scoring twice, and has become a dependable and versatile option under a number of City head coaches.
But without the guarantee of regular first-team minutes this campaign, he has opted for a fresh challenge with the Lilywhites in the North West.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity for me to come here and showcase what I can do and hopefully help in any way I can. I’m really looking to push on this season and achieve what we’re all trying to achieve,” Gibbs told official club channels.
“I’m really excited and really looking forward to getting going and getting back out there, meeting everyone, meeting the team, and meeting all of the staff. It’ll be a new challenge for me, but I’m really looking forward to it.
“It’ll all be new faces for me, so it’ll be nice just to get to know everyone, see what they’re about and show them what I can do.”
His debut for his new side could come this weekend when Preston host Blackburn, against whom Gibbs scored his first senior goal for Norwich in April 2023.
“Yeah, it was a special one because it was my first. Again, I was playing a slightly different role, more attacking in that game, and found myself in an advanced position.
“I was really shocked to score, but it was a really special moment, and hopefully I can replicate that again on Saturday.”
Gibbs’ utility-man qualities saw him deployed at full-back, on the wing and in central midfield last term, but he is hoping to return to his natural position at North End.
“I've been used in almost every role on the pitch that you could think of. I'm just waiting to tick off centre-back and goalkeeper, and then I'm done,” he joked.
“But no, I see myself as a midfielder; that's where I've played the majority of my games when I was first introduced into the team. And then, as I've developed, I've been used in various roles, but I would say I'm a midfielder.”
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