Since parting ways with Alex Neil in March, Preston North End have simply needed to get wins under their belt to get away from a relegation battle - and that's exactly what has happened.

The Lilywhites looked like they were in danger of being dragged into the fight at the bottom of the table after losing to Luton Town, but Neil's former assistant Frankie McAvoy was given the chance to steady the ship - and he's done more than that.

Aside from a little 5-0 blip at home to Brentford, McAvoy has been a success, winning four and drawing two out of his seven games in charge, with five clean sheets to add to that as well.

With North End now safe in mid-table, next season can now be looked at, with a managerial vacancy to be filled and perhaps a host of loanees that need to be replaced in the squad.

Let's look at nine transfer developments we could see happen this summer at Deepdale - one that could be a very busy one indeed.

Let's look at potential outgoings from North End first, and fans are likely to be waving goodbye to a fan favourite in Moult.

The striker's work ethic has never been questioned and many thought he was set for a great season in 2019/20 after scoring against Wigan in PNE's first home match of the campaign.

But a devastating knee injury put Moult on the sidelines for over 18 months and while he returned to training back in March and has made some matchday squads, he hasn't been on the bench under McAvoy for the last four games.

Supporters would probably be hoping he gets a runout against Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season but if not, it looks like we've seen the last of Moult in a North End shirt.

One player who seems to be unfancied by caretaker boss McAvoy is Sinclair, who doesn't fit in to the 3-5-2 formation as an out-and-out winger.

This situation may change if an outside hire comes in to replace Alex Neil but if McAvoy gets the job then judging from his time at the helm so far, you'd have to say Sinclair's days are numbered.

The former Celtic man remains the club's top scorer this season with nine goals, but under McAvoy he's started just once, made two appearances off the bench and for the last four games he hasn't gotten onto the pitch.

Some believe he could play through the middle as a striker but he isn't getting that chance, and with a year left on his contract Sinclair may want to move on if he isn't going to play football.

Speaking of players who don't get chances, Bayliss has been massively underused since he arrived from Coventry City in August 2019 and it's almost at the point where he's invisible to many.

He made just one Championship appearance in his debut campaign at Deepdale and this season has only been marginally better, playing 10 times but three of those outings have been in the last minute of the game.

It's gotten to the point where Bayliss may have to consider leaving North End this summer - whether that be permanently or on loan - to get playing time as he's getting no development from sitting on the sidelines for the majority of the season.

A new manager coming in may reinvigorate Bayliss' North End career, but there's mass competition in that area of the pitch with the likes of Ben Whiteman, Ryan Ledson, Alan Brown just to name a few, so he's going to find it incredibly difficult.

North End don't have many players whose contracts expire in the summer of 2022, but one player who is yet to pen a fresh deal is Tom Barkhuizen.

The versatile winger has been at PNE since January 2017 and on his best day he's a real threat with his pace going forward.

Barkhuizen had a best Championship scoring season in 2019/20 of nine goals but he hasn't been able to replicate that form this year, with just four league goals that all came in a five match period at the end of 2020.

The fact he's not signed a new contract yet suggests that either the player is considering options away from Deepdale or the club have yet to offer him something worth signing - whatever the case though it needs to be sorted as there's bound to be interest from other clubs.

When Ben Davies surprisingly departed on the most recent transfer deadline day to Liverpool, Van den Berg came in the opposite direction on loan until the end of the season.

North End fans didn't really know what to expect considering he had fallen down the pecking order at Anfield and was rooted in their under-23 squad despite injuries to many senior centre-backs, but the teenager has really impressed PNE supporters.

Playing as a right-back or a right-wing-back for the majority of his loan spell, Van den Berg's ability to get up and down the pitch as an attacking threat has been good but it's as a centre-back where his real future lies - PNE have a first refusal on a loan deal for next season which you'd expect them to take up and it would be good to see him play in his natural position.

If there's one must-do for PNE this summer it's to get Iversen back on loan at all costs.

The Dane only arrived after undisputed first-choice stopper Declan Rudd picked up an injury, but in his short time at the club he may have played his way to the Player of the Year award.

Iversen has saved North End on many occasions, especially towards the end of Neil's time in charge where the defence was leaky, and even when Rudd is back fully-fit in pre-season the majority of supporters would pick the Leicester goalkeeper to play.

Because of his performances though there's bound to be interest next season from other clubs - all North End can do now is hope they've done enough to convince Iversen to return and that Leicester are happy with the arrangement.

With their Championship status now secure, players are now starting to be linked with North End and a name that has cropped up in recent days is Owen Dale of Crewe Alexandra.

Football Insider have named North End as one of a number of clubs - including rivals Blackburn Rovers - as holding an interest in the 22-year-old ahead of the summer, with Dale scoring 11 goals in League One for the Railwaymen this season.

It's definitely been a breakout season for Dale considering he didn't score a single goal for Alexandra in League Two last season, and for PNE he could fit the bill in the sense that he's young enough to still develop as a player and he could be flipped for profit.

A natural right winger though, Dale would probably only be a real target if McAvoy doesn't get the job due to his persistence in the 3-5-2 system - like Scott Sinclair right now Dale wouldn't fit into the formation.

Even if Sepp van den Berg comes back to North End next season, the club will likely be in the market for another centre-back.

Liam Lindsay's loan from Stoke expires at the end of the season and he's had some good games but he may not have done enough to secure himself a permanent deal at Deepdale.

So don't be surprised if the club are looking for defensive reinforcements and a player who was linked this week, yet again by Football Insider, is William Boyle.

Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton are all looking at the 25-year-old Cheltenham centre-back as well, who has scored six League Two goals this season, and at 6 ft 3 in he would give a real presence in both boxes should he actually be a transfer target.

Central midfield doesn't exactly look like an area where North End need more depth, but it hasn't stopped Oxford's Brannagan being linked this week.

Millwall - who had a bid for the 24-year-old rejected in January - are said to be in the running for the former Liverpool player as well, and Brannagan knows a current player in the PNE engine room really well in Ryan Ledson, who he played with at the Kassam Stadium for a few months.

It just doesn't seem feasible for PNE to go for another centre midfielder with the bodies they have - even with Jayson Molumby returning to Brighton, Tom Bayliss potentially leaving and Paul Gallagher closer to retiring they still have enough to cope.