Preston North End's player of the year being tracked by Championship rivals Middlesbrough

Iversen has spent the last 16 months on loan with PNE from Leicester City and has gone from strength to strength over the course of it.

He won three player of the year awards this season and arguably won a number of points for North End with some superb saves in games.

It is reported in Teesside that Boro – beaten 4-1 by North End at Deepdale last Saturday – are keeping tabs on Iversen’s situation now that he has returned to Leicester.

Boro are on the look-out for a new keeper in the summer and Newcastle United’s Karl Darlow is reportedly their No.1 target.

However, Iversen is someone they are tracking as an alternative.

North End naturally hold a keen interest in trying to bring Iversen back for a third loan spell – he was here for the second-half of the 2020/21 season and then all of the campaign just finished.

But it’s asking a lot for a player to commit to another loan which would potentially extend his stay to two-and-a-half seasons.

Ryan Lowe said: “Danilel knows where he’s at, he wants to keep play somewhere whether that’s Leicester or somewhere else, that’s up to him.

"If he becomes available for us, definitely. I like to think what we have done for the loan lads, if they become available for this level they would look at us again.

"But ultimately, Daniel could be past Championship level now, Sepp van den Berg could be past Championship level. I think Cameron Archer needs another year at this level, potentially with us.”

Iversen made 48 appearances for North End this season, the only league game he didn’t start being on the opening day against Hull City City.

With him being back with Leicester now, PNE don’t have a registered senior keeper.

Connor Ripley and Mathew Hudson will leave this summer having been released at the end of their contracts. while Declan Rudd retired in April because of a knee injury.

It was that injury which he suffered in January 2021 which led to North End making their move for Iversen as a replacement.

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