With less than three weeks to go until the start of the 2022-23 Championship season, Preston North End still have some areas in their squad that they need to address.

The Lilywhites have got some business done following their 13th-placed finish last season, with the most significant coming in the form of Newcastle United stopper Freddie Woodman for an undisclosed fee and experienced Irish left-sider Robbie Brady on a free transfer.

Ryan Lowe still wants some more new faces though, especially in attack and at wing-back, although he may have to be patient when it comes to recruiting in those positions.

There are many avenues that Lowe could go down - the loan market is one and bringing players in for transfer fees is another, but there are still some talented individuals to pick up as free agents.

Let's look at EIGHT individuals who could be targeted by the Lilywhites and that they should consider in the coming weeks to bolster their squad.

Despite Ryan Lowe not necessarily stating that North End need a new centre-back this summer due to Jordan Storey returning from his loan at Sheffield Wednesday, many PNE fans would argue that the loss of Sepp van den Berg means another body is needed.

One that has plenty of Championship experience that would fit the bill is Hector, who is now without a club after his contract with Fulham expired.

Hector only featured four times in the league last season for the Cottagers and not at all in the Premier League in 2020-21, the Jamaica international has not had much in the way of game-time recently.

If he can get back up to match fitness though, Hector would be a solid addition to Lowe's options at the back.

Another player to consider for that position is Jeanvier, whose time at Brentford ended this summer.

The Guinea international arrived in England at the Bees 2018 from Stade de Reims of France, and in his first two seasons he played 50 Championship games in total.

Jeanvier was surplus to requirements though in the summer of 2020 and joined Turkish outfit Kasimpasa - it was there where he suffered a serious knee injury.

Having not played a competitive game since October 2020, the 30-year-old would be a risk, but he's clearly ready to return as he's on trial with Reading, so he could be someone PNE glance over as well.

As Ryan Lowe has made it very clear, a right wing-back is on the agenda this summer, and one player who has already been linked is Christie.

The Republic of Ireland international put himself in the shop window last season with his loan stint at Swansea City, where he was very impressive, and last month North End were believed to be in talks to bring him to Deepdale.

There has been no update since though, which perhaps indicates that a deal has stalled or Christie is mulling over his options.

However, he would be a fantastic signing if PNE could get it over the line.

Failing that, another good option to fall back on could be Byrne.

There has been much confusion over the 29-year-old's contract stance, with an option in his contract at Derby County believed to have been triggered, but due to the Transfer of Undertakings process following the club's takeover, the experienced right-sided player has reportedly opted to leave the Rams.

Considering he was named the Players' Player of the Year, Byrne has still obviously got what it takes to be a good wing-back at Championship level, so he is a player that the Lilywhites should be all over and taking advantage of his situation.

Another wing-back that could be a solid option is Smith, whose association with Stoke City came to an end this summer.

Despite the fact that the 30-year-old is currently training with Middlesbrough, it doesn't necessarily mean that a contract is going to be offered, and he definitely provides plenty of Championship experience with over 300 career games for both the Potters and Huddersfield Town.

Smith is definitely attack-minded and has played in at least 30 second tier matches for each of the last three seasons, so his fitness record for the most part holds up.

Even though Robbie Brady has signed this summer, his injury record during his career suggests that North End should be looking for another both on the left-hand side of the pitch.

One player who has perhaps surprised in a wing-back role last season is Bela, who featured for Birmingham City 31 times last season, scoring twice and assisting four goals in a team that was blunt for most of the campaign.

The majority of those appearances were as a wing-back, and the 29-year-old Angolan could definitely do a job for North End - especially as Ryan Lowe likes his wide players to be very attack-minded with not too much defensive responsibility.

One of the biggest areas of concerns going into the 2022-23 season is up-front, with Emil Riis now shouldering the responsibility of being PNE's only goalscorer.

Sean Maguire and Ched Evans failed to fire last season, whilst Cameron Archer is unlikely to be let out on loan by Aston Villa if he impresses in pre-season - one player who will be available though is Grabban.

Despite being 34 years of age and not as fit last season as he has been previously, the experienced striker, who has turned down Nottingham Forest's contract offer, still netted 12 times in 32 outings in the Championship last season.

If Grabban wants regular game-time, then Deepdale would be a great fit for him, but if he's looking for a decent pay-packet to finish his career then perhaps he will have better offers than North End.

Why not?

12 months ago, Carroll was a free agent and he eventually settled on being paid just £1,000 per week by Reading to stay fit and play games - which is what he did.

That earned him a January move to West Brom after his Royals contract came to an end, and he featured 15 times under Steve Bruce, scoring three times.

The 33-year-old was in most matchday squads for both clubs, showing that he could stay fit despite his past struggles, and it's fair to say he'd probably offer a lot more than the aforementioned Evans and Maguire.

If his wages weren't too astronomical, then there would be no harm in giving Carroll a go.