Preston North End boss Alex Neil eyes more experience in the summer transfer window

Neil has worked with a young squad in the main this season and has enjoyed seeing their development over the months.

However, adding a bit more Championship know-how to the group is something he'd like to do ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

Speaking at Springfields on Thursday morning and casting his mind forward to next season, Neil said: "If we can keep the majority of our key players fit, automatically you give yourself a good opportunity of being in the top half and challenging for the top six.

"If we can then supplement that by signing a few players who have got experience to a point, then all the better.

"If you look for example at Brad Potts, he came in and made a really good impact for us.

"Albeit he was playing in League One when we signed him, he'd had experience in the Championship with Barnsley.

"He knew what the level was, he wasn't a young kid learning his trade, he was 24.

"The difference between coaching a 20-year-old and a 24-year-old or 25-year-old is quite big."

PNE have given 18,051 minutes of action to players aged 23 and under this season, the third highest in the Championship behind Swansea and Brentford.

Neil said: "Realistically if you look at it, are we going to bring somebody in younger than Ryan Ledson as cover for Ryan?

"Are we going to bring in someone than Jordan Storey as cover for Jordan?

"These boys are babies.

"If we are going to supplement the squad and add to the squad, I think we have to do it with elements of experience who know how to get the job done, who can help the group and help develop the young lads around them as well."