PNE keeper's Dane good!

Preston North End keeper Anders Lindegaard found himself back on the international scene this week after almost three years away.
Anders Lindegaard was in the Denmark squad during the weekAnders Lindegaard was in the Denmark squad during the week
Anders Lindegaard was in the Denmark squad during the week

Lindegaard got a late call-up to Denmark’s squad for their friendly clash with Scotland at Hampden Park.

He was on the bench for the 1-0 defeat, his first inclusion since June 2013.

The 31-year-old got the call to join up over the weekend.

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Denmark had injury worries over two of their keepers, one of them being Leicester City’s Kasper Schmeichel, following a game on Friday night against Iceland.

Schmeichel was passed fit to face Scotland and Lindegaard was an unused sub.

The fact he has been getting a regular run of games since joining PNE, has helped revive his international prospects.

His appearances for Manchester United were sporadic during his time at Old Trafford, then he made only one appearance for West Bromwich Albion after moving there last summer.

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North End signed him on loan from Albion at the end of January and he has since played nine games, with a 10th coming up against Blackburn at Ewood Park on Saturday.

He has been unavailable just once during the loan spell, a virus ruling him out of the 0-0 draw with Brighton earlier this month when Chris Kirkland deputised. Lindegaard has five senior caps to his name, while he was on Denmark’s bench for their three games at Euro 2012. This summer, he will be on PNE’s radar as a possible permanent signing.

For the last three-and-a-half years, they have relied mainly on borrowed keepers.

Declan Rudd, Sam Johnstone, Jordan Pickford and Lindegaard, have come on loan since January 2013.

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The exception was in the first half of last season when Jamie Jones and then Thorsten Stuckmann had the gloves – both have since moved on.

Securing a permanent No.1 is one of the priorities for North End this summer.

Lindegaard could be open to a move to Deepdale, having fallen to third choice in the pecking order at Albion.

It is likely that Johnstone will be in the reckoning too – he is highly regarded by the Preston coaching staff.

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He has another year left on his contract at Manchester United.

Johnstone spent the second half of last season on loan at North End, with attempts to both buy and loan him in the summer being thwarted.

In January, he returned on a 28-day loan to cover Pickford’s recall to Sunderland.

At the end of it, United were unwilling to extend his stay.

Johnstone suffered an ankle injury shortly after his return to Old Trafford and has not featured in the first-team picture.