Preston North End could be keen on renewing goalkeeper Daniel Iversen’s loan

That is the view of PNE boss Alex Neil who credits the big Dane with earning North End points with some of his saves.

Iversen joined on loan from Leicester City in January after Declan Rudd suffered a knee injury which will sideline him for the rest of the season.

He has proved popular with North End fans, some of whom hope Iversen might return next season to compete with Rudd for the gloves.

Neil told the Lancashire Post: “Daniel’s performances haven’t surprised me in the slightest.

“We had been tracking him for more than a year and this was not our first attempt to get him.

“Unfortunately he went to Belgium, to Leicester’s sister club. Then we had to act to cover Declan’s injury and Daniel was back over here.

“What I think Daniel has the knack of doing is making match-winning or point-saving saves.

“There have been quite a few games when he has done that, they have literally earned us points.

“Daniel has made saves at crucial stages of games and he’s done very well.”

At Birmingham in his second game in the North End keeper’s jersey he made a key save at 0-0, with Neil’s men going on to win 1-0.

When beating Blackburn 2-1, Iversen made a smart save low down at the near post to preserve the lead.

Last week against QPR, the 23-year-old made a good save with an out-stretched foot to deny Lyndon Dykes.

Then when Preston beat Huddersfield on Saturday, Iversen made three good saves in the first half.

Last season when on loan at Rotherham, Iversen signed a new five-and-a-half year contract at Leicester.

The length of that deal shows how highly the Foxes rate him and probably the only way of having him at Deepdale next season is to try and secure another loan.

That is for the summer but no doubt it will be under consideration.

Asked about the chance of another loan, Neil said: “That is for another day.

“We won’t be in complete control of that because he is Leicester’s player.

“I’m sure Daniel is enjoying his football and he would be open to the idea.

“At the moment I don’t know what Leicester’s appetite would be, I don’t know what the answer would be if we asked.”

Leicester signed Iversen from Esbjerg in 2015.

North End are the fourth club he has played for on loan, following on from Oldham, Rotherham and O-H Leuven.

Iversen has totalled 101 first-team appearances.