After a 13th placed finish in the Championship for the 2021-22 season, Preston North End will be looking to improve upon that under Ryan Lowe.

Lowe came to Deepdale in December to replace the outgoing Frankie McAvoy, and whilst the Lilywhites may have been on the wrong end of some thumpings in that time, the general consensus is that North End have been better to watch.

Since his arrival at PNE, Lowe has only brought one player to the club in the form of Cameron Archer on loan, but that's set to be different in the next couple of months as with a whole host of players being released upon the expiry of their contracts, many fresh faces are set to be welcomed to Deepdale.

Talking about summer recruitment recently, Lowe pointed towards the good work that both Luton Town and Huddersfield Town had done on miniscule budgets, with an emphasis being placed on Championship experience.

With that in mind, let's look at EIGHT free agents going into the summer that would fit well into North End's current squad of contracted players.

Gray is a player who has already been linked with a move to Deepdale this summer, with his Watford contract coming to an end meaning that he will be looking for a fresh home for the 2022-23 season.

Lowe wants Championship experience and the 30-year-old striker brings plenty of that, with time spent at Brentford, Burnley, Watford and Queens Park Rangers in the second tier.

Despite not starting very often for the Hoops last season, Gray scored 10 times in 28 Championship appearances, so if his wage demands aren't too high, he would be a worthwhile addition to the ranks at Deepdale - especially if the club are unable to secure a loan return for Cameron Archer.

It is obvious that Lowe will be trying to bring in at least one left wing-back this summer - midfield playmaker Daniel Johnson featured there for the final two matches of the season ahead of Greg Cunningham and Josh Earl which told you everything you need to know.

One player who could be looking for more starts is Osborn, who would by no means be a regular in Paul Heckingbottom's starting 11 at Sheffield United if everyone was fit.

Osborn has been afforded chances this season due to an extended injury list, and in recent time has filled in at right wing-back.

Despite being more of a midfielder during his career, Osborn could be what PNE are missing at left wing-back - United may offer him a new contract but he would be nothing more than a squad player at Bramall Lane.

At North End he would start week in, week out and he has the delivery with his left foot and energy that Lowe would love.

On the other side of the pitch, the right wing-back role is also one that needs to be addressed going into the 2022-23 campaign.

Brad Potts has filled in well in the second half of the season, but Lowe would likely prefer someone with more pace and attacking creativity, which is where Fredericks comes into the mix.

Now at the age of 29, Fredericks has barely featured for West Ham United this season, playing just 15 times in all competitions.

He has a lot of Championship experience and providing his wage demands aren't too big then he could fill a void at Deepdale - and David Moyes could point him in the right direction as he's much-loved at North End.

A right wing-back has already been mentioned in Fredericks, but if Lowe wants to look further down the EFL pyramid for one then he will find that Wilson is a man who is on the up.

The 22-year-old has had a phenomenal season for League Two title winners Forest Green Rovers, scoring three and assisting 13 goals in 45 league appearances.

His form has attracted interest from the Championship ahead of the summer, and unfortunately for Rovers his contract is set to come to an end, which will soon make him a free agent.

Whatever happens with Wilson though, Forest Green are entitled to compensation due to his age, so if North End want him then it will cost them.

But his attacking prowess down the right is something that Lowe would really like, so he could be a good fit despite not having Championship experience.

The left wing-back conundrum has already been talked about with Osborn selected as a viable option, but Brady could be that man as well.

A 57-cap Republic of Ireland international who has spent a lot of his career in the Premier League with Hull City, Norwich and Burnley, Brady only featured six times for Bournemouth in 2021-22 after being picked up as a free agent earlier in the season.

You'd imagine that Scott Parker will probably let the 30-year-old go this summer when his contract expires, and with Brady no stranger to playing for clubs in the north, as well as having the kind of delivery from the left that Emil Riis would thrive on, he could be a realistic target.

Fredericks was named as a potential target for right wing-back, but if his wage demands prove to be too much then there is an experienced alternative in Byrne.

The 29-year-old is one of many at Pride Park to be out of contract at the end of this season and with the Rams unable to offer new deals right now, PNE and other clubs could take advantage of that.

With experience gained in the Championship at Wolves, Wigan and Derby, Byrne still has what it takes to play regularly in the second tier and he poses the kind of attacking threat that Lowe wants from his wing-backs.

North End now have no professional goalkeepers at the club thanks to Connor Ripley and Mathew Hudson being released - as well as Daniel Iversen's loan deal ending.

There will need to be a significant restructuring of that department in the summer, and an experienced stopper who could come in to offer competition is Ruddy.

Ruddy amassed plenty of appearances for Norwich City and was Wolves' first-choice when they won promotion from the Championship in 2017-18, but since then he has been merely a back-up.

Despite being 35 years old, Ruddy could have a chance of playing football again next season and he could challenge a younger stopper - perhaps another loan for North End from the Premier League - for the jersey.

Most clubs now have three senior goalkeepers, with the third choice making up the numbers for the majority of the campaign.

That is what Andy Lonergan has been doing for a number of years at Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Stoke, West Brom and now Everton, but he could be doing that with the club he grew up with in the form of North End.

Lonergan played over 200 times in the league for the Lilywhites in his young and then peak years, and whilst his signing would merely just be to boost the numbers, it would still be good to see 'Lonners' in and around the action at North End once again.