Forwards will be on Frankie McAvoy's summer shopping list for Preston North End

The transfer talk in the public domain has centred on possible returns for Daniel Iversen, Sepp van den Berg and Liam Lindsay – a trio who spent the second half of the season on loan at Deepdale.

North End have plenty of attacking vacancies to fill in their squad, though, and that will fill a big section of the shopping list.

Head coach Frankie McAvoy operated with two strikers in his eight matches as interim boss in the season just finished.

Ched Evans started all the matches, partnered in the various games by Emil Riis, Tom Barkhuizen, Sean Maguire and Scott Sinclair.

Barkhuizen and Sinclair both normally play in wider areas, so there is a need for a more natural striker.

Louis Moult being released has created space up front, with Jayden Stockley also attracting plenty of interest from elsewhere as he goes into the last year of his contract.

Bringing in more width, either wing-backs or wingers, looks to be on the cards.

McAvoy favoured a 3-5-2 when he was interim head coach but will want back-up systems.

“I always went with two up top because I felt before that we hadn’t created enough opportunities and caused enough problems going forward,” said McAvoy.

“As the games went on we started to get more chances and score more goals.”

At the back, North End seem set on what they want.

They want to bring back goalkeeper Iversen from FA Cup winners Leiecester.

While buying him would be huge business, another loan is the likely option. They have first refusal on another loan for Van den Berg should Liverpool want to let him out again.

Lindsay is an option for the centre of defence after a solid enough loan stay, especially once McAvoy took over. The Scot has got two more years left on his Stoke contract.

North End do have other left-footed defenders in mind as they weigh up filling the defensive vacancy.

As things stand they have got Jordan Storey, Patrick Bauer, Andrew Hughes and Paul Huntington to play in the centre-back roles.

If Van den Berg were to come back, the Dutchman would give options at right wing-back and in the middle.

Hughes operated well on the left-hand side of a three, while Bauer should be fit to start pre-season training with the squad in July.

The German ruptured his Achilles tendon in December but has been back running for a few weeks after a successful operation.

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