Preston North End captain's assurance amid transfer speculation and contract offer

Preston North End captain Alan Browne says it is 'at the forefront' of his mind to take the club to the Premier League.

There is a lot of noise around the Irishman at present, given the fact his contract expires this summer. Browne recently surpassed 400 appearances in a PNE shirt, but he is yet to sign the new deal which has been offered to him.

Previously, the number eight has been open about his desire to break the all time appearance record at Deepdale - held by Alan Kelly Snr. While his future remains unresolved - following Serie A transfer links in the latest window - Browne's latest comments to the club's match day programme do not suggest a change of heart.

"It’s something I can take pride in," said Browne. "To have made that many appearances for this club is a huge achievement. I don’t do it very often but I have to give myself credit for being able to play that amount of games. To stay fit for that amount of games, to be available for selection – yeah, it’s something I’m hugely proud of. I knew 400 was a possibility this season but I didn’t realise how close I was. It’s a huge achievement for me and I just want to make as many as I can now.”

And on his ambition as a player, Browne added: "Obviously, we made the Play-Offs in my first season and managed to get promoted in the second, but since then I’ve found out it’s not going to be an easy ride to get where I wanted to get. As a young kid, I wanted to get to the Premier League. Ever since I’ve come here, all I’ve wanted to do is get promoted with this club - which I see as my club. We’ve established ourselves as regulars in this league, but it’s at the forefront of my mind to take that leap into the Prem."