Preston North End could be set for one of their most interesting summers in recent years, with a new manager and a fresh set of players needed.

The previous summer saw North End make just one signing - that was Emil Riis in October - with all other transfer business coming in the mid-season January transfer window, and that was business that at one point threatened their Championship status.

But after Alex Neil's sacking, the bad results have been stopped somewhat thanks to caretaker boss Frankie McAvoy, who has got 11 points out of a possible 18 to move North End away from danger.

McAvoy will probably be in the frame for the permanent head coach job but there's still uncertainty on that front for now, but one thing is for sure is that changes in the playing squad will need to be made.

Providing the new manager is given some funds to play with, let's look at how North End could line up to start the 2021/22 season.

Simply put it would be silly of Preston North End if they don't try and get Iversen back on a season-long loan next season.

The Dane's arrival at Deepdale in January only came due to a season-ending injury picked up by Declan Rudd, but he could have saved PNE's season due to some of his performances.

The 23-year-old's shot-stopping abilities in particular have been incredible and he's denied some certain goals at times and got North End out of real danger.

PNE will no doubt face lots of competition to get Iversen back next season, but they will be hoping his relationship with goalkeeping coach Mike Pollitt will be a key factor to his potential return.

North End have been left without a natural right-back for most of the second half of the season due to the surprise January sale of Darnell Fisher to Middlesbrough and an injury to Joe Rafferty.

Skipper Alan Browne has filled in there on occasion but Liverpool loanee Sepp van den Berg has been the player to step into Fisher's shoes mainly, even though he's a natural centre-back.

The decision to not naturally replace Fisher was a strange one and if North End were being really ambitious, a punt for Ryan Nyambe of Blackburn Rovers this summer with his contract situation uncertain would be a big one.

Bigger clubs are likely to be in for him though and an alternative could be Luke O'Nien of Sunderland, who is another player with an expiring contract.

The 26-year-old is incredibly versatile and if North End are going to continue with a 3-5-2 system next season then he would be ideal getting up and down the right flank with his energy and work rate second to none.

In the deal that took Ben Davies to Liverpool on transfer deadline day, the Premier League champions sent Dutch defender Van den Berg to Deepdale for the rest of the season.

The 19-year-old had slipped down the pecking order at Anfield even with all the injuries to their defenders, with the likes of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams ahead of him, but this loan spell at North End will have been a real confidence booster.

For the most part, Van den Berg has played out of position at right-back and right-wing-back, but put him on the right side of three centre-backs and he could flourish next season - PNE reportedly have first refusal on a season-long loan for next season and they should take that opportunity.

Storey came in with potential in 2018 having broken through at Exeter City the season before, and now at the age of 23 he's still not the finished article.

He played 28 Championship games in his first season at Deepdale but was sparingly used in 2019/20 due to the partnership of Patrick Bauer and Ben Davies - but the departure of the latter in the previous transfer window has seemingly given Storey a new lease of life.

Having started every single game since the February win over Blackburn, Storey is growing in confidence and he could be a big force for North End in the middle of a back three next season.

If North End are going with three centre-backs next season, then they definitely need a left-footed player in there following the departure of Davies to Liverpool.

Liam Lindsay came in on loan from Stoke and whilst he's had some decent performances, he doesn't look like the quality PNE need in the long-term.

The Davies replacement could be at Oxford United right now in Rob Atkinson, who is proving himself to be one of the best defenders in League One this season.

Aged 22, Atkinson has stepped up from non-league Eastleigh with consummate ease and standing at 6 ft 4 in, is a threat at both ends of the pitch.

Whoscored rank him as the best defender in the third tier this season but if North End were in for him, he'd likely command a decent fee to prize him away from the Kassam Stadium.

North End's options in this position seemed pretty open until this week, with Cunningham's short-term contract expiring at the end of the season, Andrew Hughes better in a left-sided centre-back role than at wing-back and Josh Earl's future uncertain.

But the announcement came this week that Cunningham had penned a new two-year deal at Deepdale after returning to the club from Cardiff City in January.

The Irishman is likely to be the first-choice in this role but there's a caveat - his injury record.

The 30-year-old is classy but has picked up a number of injuries over the years and had played 13 league games in just a season and a half before returning to PNE.

Those concerns were raised further as Cunningham recently missed over a month of action, but if his fitness is managed correctly then it could be a smart move to bring him back for years.

The acquisition of Whiteman in the January transfer window was probably one of the most exciting Championship moves, with PNE paying in the region of £1.5 million to Doncaster Rovers for their captain.

Ben Pearson's boots have been big ones to fill, and some fans haven't exactly been able to see what Whiteman fully brings to the table, but he's seemingly been given a bit more freedom under McAvoy than he was under Alex Neil, who kept him sat in-front of the centre-backs.

We saw more of what Whiteman can do against Derby County as he burst up the pitch to head in his first North End goal, and it's perhaps a sign of things to come as 2021/22 could be a big season for the 24-year-old.

Whiteman has forged a decent partnership with Ledson, who has been at North End for nearly three whole seasons now but this is his first campaign where he's been a regular fixture.

Restricted to just 13 Championship appearances last season due to fierce competition in the engine room, Ledson is now the real battler of the midfield f0llowing Pearson's departure and even skippered the side recently in Alan Browne's absence.

His battling abilities should allow Whiteman to get forward more and still at the age of 23, Ledson could potentially get even better than he already is - although his discipline could be something that needs improving

North End have an embarrassment of riches in the middle of the park, and this is a position where both Brad Potts and Daniel Johnson miss out on right now, despite the latter scoring 12 goals in the Championship last season.

Johnson was in and out of the squad in Alex Neil's final months in charge and it remains to be seen if he gets regular starts next season, but with Alan Browne being captain he has to go in the 'number 10' role.

The Ireland international hasn't always been able to play in this position this season having been deployed at right-back quite a bit, but Browne's best scoring season in 2018/19 - which saw him net 12 times - came in the attacking midfield role and playing him to his strengths could see him be that prolific again.

Many questions were raised when North End announced the signing of Evans from League One side Fleetwood Town in January after days of speculation, but some aren't questioning it anymore.

On paper it did look like an odd one - a striker on the wrong side of 30 with just five goals in the third tier of English football this season coming in to a Championship team - but Alex Neil thought his hold-up abilities would help North End and they sure have.

Even though he didn't play much in the first few weeks, Evans has impressed and he's even netted four goals for the Lilywhites as well, with his contributions earning him a new two-year deal.

North End probably need more than one new striker for next season but right now, Evans probably deserves to start but that could change.

Sticking with the 3-5-2 formation that is serving North End well right now means that no wingers will be deployed, which means places on the bench for Tom Barkhuizen and Scott Sinclair.

Barkhuizen is versatile so will be a great option against tired legs but Sinclair doesn't seem to be too fancied by McAvoy currently - he could easily play through the middle and has nine Championship goals this season however he's sat on the bench for the last three games without appearing on the pitch.

If it's two up-front next season then this is an area of the pitch that needs investing in, and why not go for Preston-born Dion Charles?

The 25-year-old recently won his first Northern Ireland cap and is having a breakout season with Accrington Stanley in League One, scoring 19 goals for John Coleman's side.

It would be a punt considering he's never played at Championship level for and he's likely cost a seven-figure fee, but he could just be worth it.