Preston North End cool reports linking them for former Middlesbrough, Cardiff and West Bromwich Albion defender

There was talk on the PNE Online forum which was then picked-up on social media, that the Lilywhites had made a move for 35-year-old Peltier who has been released by Middlesbrough.

However, club sources have cooled the suggestion that the Liverpudlian could be heading to Deepdale.

Peltier is not believed to be a player discussed by North End and at the age of 35, would certainly fall outside the normal recruitment pattern.

With him being a free agent, it could well be that Peltier was a name put their way rather than them doing the approaching.

It is understood that PNE are still at the stage of contacting players and agents, weighing-up options.

The only contract offer made to date is to Bambo Diaby who is coming to the end of the short-term deal he signed in January. Diaby is currently away in Spain and considering the offer.

Peltier started his career with Liverpool and has since played for Yeovil, Huddersfield, Leicester, Leeds, Cardiff, West Bromwich and latterly Middlesbrough.

This season he played for Boro against PNE at the Riverside Stadium in November, a game the visitors won 2-1.

On the final day of the campaign, Peltier was an unused substitute for the Teessiders in their 4-1 defeat to Ryan Lowe’s men.

North End have a good half-dozen slots to fill in their squad this summer, if not more.

WIng-backs, goalkeepers and strikers are the immediate priority, with Peter Ridsdale saying this week that other positions might be strengthened on an ‘opportunistic’ basis.

PNE youth team’s achievements offer promise for the future