Preston North End ready for summer changes after season's finale against Middlesbrough

The Lilywhites yesterday announced that stalwart Paul Huntington would be leaving this summer after 10 years service, with the centre-half on the bench for Boro’s visit (12.30pm) and likely to get game time at some stage to say his farewells.

There will be others on show who might not be here next season, the three loanees – Sepp van den Berg, Daniel Iversen and Cameron Archer – heading home to their parent clubs ahead of PNE exploring the possibility of trying to get them back.

The retained list will be out at some point next week, with Ryan Lowe due to have all the players in for a debrief on Sunday before the summer break starts.

North End manager Lowe said: “It is going to be a busy summer because we need to recruit players who want to come to Preston North End and help us get to the next level.

"We have our targets. After the weekend we can officially start speaking to some players, we have got a type of player we want, we’ve got names we want.

"It then depends of whether we can sort the contracts out and sort the money out which I’m sure we will.”

Lowe could have Ryan Ledson back in the squad, the midfielder having made a quicker than expected recovery after knee surgery

Mikey O’Neill and Andrew Hughes are doubts, teenager O’Neill after getting a bang on the foot playing in the Youth Alliance Cup final earlier in the week.

Hughes is still recovering after having stitches in a badly gashed toe.

PNE host a Boro side who need to win to try and force their way into the play-offs.

Lowe says his focus is fully on his side rather than what the visitors are trying to achieve.

"Middlesbrough want to get in the play-offs but we have to worry about ourselves,” said Lowe.

"We’ll give them the respect they deserve because they are a good team with some fantastic players.

"We want to make it our occasion rather than theirs, they’ve sold a lot of tickets but hopefully we will sell a lot of tickets too.”

Brad Potts reflects on his season coming to life after a switch of position