What next for Preston North End’s Aston Villa loanee Andre Green?

Andre Green has had limited game time during his spell on loan at Preston

The 21-year-old has had very limited game time since arriving from Aston Villa on the eve of the season.

Green is on a season-long loan but Villa might feel he is better going somewhere else if he is not being used by PNE.

North End signed him on August 1, Green able to play on the wing or up front.

It has just not happened for him though, others getting ahead of him in the pecking order along the frontline.

His Preston debut came as a substitute on the opening day at Millwall.

Green started the League Cup game at Bradford City and opened the scoring in a 4-0 win.

Then in the following game against Swansea, he came on as a first-half sub when Louis Moult was stretchered off with a damaged cruciate ligament.

He started the League Cup tie with Hull and was a late sub at Nottingham Forest.

But since the end of August Green’s only appearance was when he came on in the 1-1 draw with Leeds United on October 23.

Since the Leeds game he has not been in a matchday squad.

During last month’s fans’ forum at Deepdale, North End boss Alex Neil did reference Green being troubled by arthritis in his toe.

Green is the only player who PNE have on loan in their first-team squad.

The first half of this season in some ways mirrors that of last year for Green.

He joined Portsmouth on loan but made only six starts and six sub appearances.

In January, Green went back to Villa and played a number of games in their promotion push.

With the January window just a fortnight away, North End are beginning to be linked in the media with potential targets.

On the outgoing front, one or two of the club’s young players could go out in search of first-team football.

Ethan Walker last week joined Altrincham on loan for the rest of the season, the winger having signed his first pro deal in October.

North End also want Adam O’Reilly and Jack Baxter to get games as part of their development.

Jack Armer recently came back from a loan at Lancaster to cover injuries in the PNE first-team squad.

He made great strides in his time with the Dolly Blues and is an example of how time away on loan can benefit young players.

North End return to action at Cardiff on Saturday (12.30pm) with tickets still on sale. Seats cost £17 for adults, £14 for seniors (Over-60s), £9 for 16 to 21-year-olds and £1 for Under-16s.