Preston North End still have important work to do in the transfer window, but manager Paul Heckingbottom has some healthy competition already.
The Lilywhites have brought six new players to the club this summer after losing several players from last season’s squad, including Emil Riis, Freddie Woodman, Ryan Ledson and loan men Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Sam Greenwood.
Jack Whatmough has joined Huddersfield Town, with that the only outgoing to date at Deepdale. Heckingbottom has added Daniel Iversen, Pol Valentin, Odel Offiah, Jordan Thompson, Thierry Small and Daniel Jebbison to his ranks.
With the season opener at QPR now three weeks away, selecting a ‘strongest XI’ is not the easiest task - though there are a handful of shoe-ins within the PNE squad. The signs, though, are that we will see game-to-game tweaks and plenty of rotation.
Heckingbottom believes there is a lot more business to get completed in the remaining weeks of the window, so things could look different over the next month or so.
While it’s very much a squad game and everyone will play their part, here is our punt at PNE’s best side and substitutes...
9. CAM: Mads Frokjaer
With Greenwood and Holmes gone from last season, the Dane is the obvious attacking midfield selection as things stand. We may well see Brad Potts - who offers a different skill set - play there more this season. | Ian Robinson, PNEFC
10. ST: Milutin Osmajic
He was top scorer in all competitions last campaign and looks nailed on to start at Loftus Road as things stand. | Getty Images
11. ST: Daniel Jebbison
The Canadian may have to work his way into the side but Heckingbottom clearly thinks highly of him, and Jebbison adds speed to Preston's XI. If the North End boss wants to go with a front two you'd back him to start. | Getty Images
12. SUB: Dai Cornell
The Welshman has 12 months left to run on his deal and will need to push Iversen throughout the season. | CameraSport - Alex Dodd