This season, Preston have surprised a lot of people with their top half finish in the Sky Bet Championship table.

After their promotion from League One just last season, many people expected Simon Grayson's side to be in and around the fight to stay up but in fact, Preston have spent a lot of the season actually trying to sneak into the play-offs.

If Preston were to strengthen in the summer then they could well be on their way to a play-off place to give them a chance to be playing top flight football next season.

The squad that they do have is already a very good one but is maybe lacking in a few areas, and if North End were to sign some real quality players to fill them gaps then they may just find themselves nearer the top of the table.

FLW writer Tom Rawcliffe identifies FIVE Premier League players who Preston should look at signing on loan in the summer transfer window......

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE 5 PL STARS PRESTON SHOULD SIGN!

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Jordan Pickford

Jordan Pickford

Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is one player who Preston fans will certainly want to see back at Deepdale after his very successful loan spell was cut short by, at the time, newly-appointed manager Sam Allardyce.

The England Under-21 international was a revelation for the Lilywhites and put in some outstanding performances for Simon Grayson's side.

In fact, he had such a good spell at Deepdale he was considered player of the season by many supporters up until January when he returned to parent club Sunderland.

There is no doubt that Preston will look to see if they can get the 22-year-old back and if they can, he will have a huge part to play next season.

Eunan O'Kane

Eunan O'Kane

AFC Bournemouth midfielder Eunan O'Kane has struggled for game time during the Cherries' recent success, as he has made just 27 league appearances for Eddie Howe's side in the last 2 seasons.

However, the 25-year-old isn't short of Championship experience with 48 second-tier appearances to his name. O'Kane also received his first call up to the Republic of Ireland squad this season after catching the eye of manager Martin O'Neill.

He is a player with real calmness when in possession of the ball and he is also not afraid to move forward with it too. If he were to make the move to Deepdale then I think that he could add a sense of composure to the Preston ranks in order to push them up the league table.

Paddy McNair

Paddy McNairPaddy McNair

Manchester United centre-back Paddy McNair made the move to Old Trafford when he was just a teenager and he has developed up through United's youth system.

Last season, McNair made his breakthrough as he made his debut for the Red Devils in a home win against West Ham United.

Since this game, he has gone on to make a total of 24 Premier League appearances which isn't bad at all for a 21-year-old having to compete with players such as Chris Smalling.

Despite now being a starter for the Northern Ireland squad, McNair has struggled to make the Manchester United starting XI recently so a loan move to a Championship club like Preston may be the best option to enhance his progress as a player.

João Teixeira

Joao Carlos Teixeira

Portuguese attacking midfielder, who can also operate as a winger, João Teixeira is currently under contract at Liverpool but may be looking to go out on loan next season after playing just 3 minutes in the Premier League this season.

He has however made 7 appearances in all competitions and has actually impressed many supporters with his dazzling skill.

Last season, he spent the campaign on loan at Brighton and Hove Albion where he really showed his class for the Seagulls. scoring 6 goals.

He would add something completely different to the Preston side, giving them a fantastic attacking outlet who is guaranteed to produce moments of magic.

Adam Armstrong

armstrong44

Newcastle United striker Adam Armstrong is actually already out on loan at Sky Bet League One side Coventry City. But if Newcastle were to loan him out again next season, it seems certain that he will join a Championship club due to his huge success this term.

In the 39 matches that Armstrong has appeared in for Coventry, he has found the back of the net an impressive 19 times. He was actually also rewarded for his achievements this campaign with a place in the PFA League One Team of the Year.

If Newcastle do see themselves relegated then Armstrong could play a huge part in a season where promotion straight back to the big time will be the aim. However, if they do manage to escape relegation then it remains to be seen if he will return to the Magpies first team or if he will be loaned out again.

If North End were to acquire the 19-year-old striker then their chances of promotion would be massively enhanced as they have hugely missed a prolific striker this season but Armstrong would certainly fit the bill.