Preston North End pair Andy Boyle and Kevin O'Connor likely to be on the move again

The Irish defenders spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Dundee and Crewe, respectively.

Those loans ended earlier in the month and PNE want to move them on again 
before the end of 
January.

There has been interest in them but it might get later in the window before deals are sorted.

Boyle, 27, played 13 games for Dundee, the central defender scoring one goal for the Scottish Premiership strugglers.

It is understood that there has been interest shown from a couple of Scottish clubs, so too in Ireland.

Boyle is out of contract with Preston in the summer so any move away – even on loan – would end his time at Deepdale.

He arrived two years ago from Dundalk, having caught the eye during their League of Ireland title win and exploits in the Europa League.

It has not worked out for Boyle at Deepdale, where he has made only 12 appearances in a North End shirt.

He spent the second half of last season with Doncaster and then joined Dundee on loan at the end of August.

Left-back O’Connor, who joined from Cork City in the summer of 2017, has also found games hard to come by at Preston.

He made nine appearances last term before going on loan to Fleetwood a year ago.

In August, O’Connor went to Crewe hoping to get a run of games but was to feature only 10 times.

His last appearance for the Gresty Road outfit was in November.

O’Connor, 23, has 18 months to run on his Lilywhites contract.

Before the month is out, there could well be other outgoing deals done.

North End are keen to get goalkeeper Michael Crowe fixed up with a loan spell to get a run of games.

Crowe’s only action since joining in the summer from Ipswich was the FA Cup loss to Doncaster.

If a loan can be sorted for Crowe, it would mean Mathew Hudson staying at North End as back-up to Declan Rudd and Connor Ripley.

Hudson spent the first half of the season on loan at Bury but played only four games, all in the Checkatrade Trophy.

There could yet be a loan move for Calum Woods.

He has been on the bench of late after recovering from a hamstring injury which had kept him out for three months.