Preston North End bring striker David Nugent back to Deepdale

David Nugent at Deepdale after signing for PNE

Nugent, 34, returns on a Bosman after leaving Derby County this summer.

The deal will take effect from August 1 but Nugent will work in the meantime with the North End medical staff as he recovers from a knee injury suffered playing for Derby in the play-offs in May.

Nugent first joined North End in January 2005, signing from Bury for £99,000.

David Nugent watches Preston's pre-season friendly at AFC Fylde

In two-and-a-half seasons at Deepdale he scored 37 goals with PNE twice reaching the Championship play-offs.

He left in July 2007 to join Portsmouth for £6m, a record club sale which stood until January 2018.

Nugent said: "I’m delighted to be back. It’s been a long time since I left the club, we came so close to getting promoted twice and hopefully I can come back and it can be third time lucky and try and get this club to the Premier League.

“I might be 34, but I still have plenty of running in my legs. I might have to prove that on the pitch if selected by the manager.

David Nugent celebrates scoring for Preston against Derby in the play-off semi-final first leg at Deepdale in May 2005

"I have not just come here to take anyone’s place in the team, I have come to be part of a team and help the lads achieve what they want to achieve."

Nugent will wear the No.35 shirt, the squad number he had when he first joined Preston in 2005.