Defender Davies will be back at North End for pre-season

PNE defender Ben Davies during his loan spell at Fleetwood

he centre-back spent the second-half of the season with the Cod Army, making 26 starts in all competitions.

He was part of a defence which conceded only 15 goals in those games, Fleetwood reaching the League One play-off semi-finals where they beaten 1-0 on aggregate by Bradford City.

It was Davies’ fifth time away from Deepdale on loan, having previously played at York, Tranmere, Southport and Newport.

Preston got very positive feedback from Town with how he performed during the loan.

Fleetwood are understood to have made enquiries about signing him permanently.

But North End want to look at him in pre-season training and take a view from that.

Davies has another year left on his contract, North End having triggered that clause last season.

The 21-year-old made two appearances for PNE last term, both of them in the EFL Cup – against Bournemouth and Newcastle.

He came through the youth ranks at Preston, making his debut as a 17-year-old in the closing weeks of the Graham Westley era.

After spending all of the 2013/14 campaign on loan at York, Davies started the next season in the PNE side.

He played the first six games before losing his place, with a loan spell at Tranmere following.

Davies will be one of three players returning to Preston after loan spells.

Liam Grimshaw and Eoin Doyle went to Chesterfield and Portsmouth respectively in January.

Grimshaw, 22, played 13 games for the Spireites who were relegated from League One.

Doyle scored two goals in 12 appearances for League Two champions Portsmouth but a hamstring injury ended his season late in March.

It might be that North End look to loan out the pair again if they are only going to be on the fringes at Deepdale.

As far as incoming deals are concerned, PNE remain in talks with Everton over a return for Aiden McGeady.

The 31-year-old winger is about to go into the last year of his contract at Goodison Park and Everton are keen to move him on – he’s not played for them since August 2015.

While a £2m asking price has been reported, the Toffees could agree to another loan but with a big contribution to his salary.

It might be a deal which takes time to do because of the money involved.

McGeady scored eight goals for Preston in 35 games while on loan, with supporters voting him player of the year.