Preston North End midfielder Daniel Johnson was strongly linked to Scottish giants Rangers during the previous transfer window - but the new Jamaican international remained at Deepdale.

North End's number 11 had a breakthrough year at Championship level last season, notching 12 goals in 33 games from the middle of the park, which ended up attracting the eyes of Steven Gerrard at Ibrox.

Rangers reported had at least one bid rejected for Johnson, who Preston valued significantly more than the apparent £1.5 million that was on the table.

In the end, the interest faded away and instead Gerrard opted to bring in South African international Bongani Zungu on loan from French side Amiens, with the option to make that permanent at the end of the season.

As for Johnson, he has carried on where he left off last season in the North End engine room, despite speculation that he was being left out of the team at the time of the interest from Rangers because his head had been turned.

Johnson missed the first four league games due to injury, but he's now back and ready to try and fire the Lilywhites into the play off places.

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There's no guarantee he will be around at the start of next season though.

Along with key players Darnell Fisher, Ben Pearson, Alan Browne and Ben Davies, 'DJ' is out of contract on June 30, 2021, and so far the powers-that-be at Deepdale have struggled to tie them all down to new deals.

There is a notorious strict wage structure at North End, and they consequently have one of the lowest wage budgets in the league, despite being a play-off challenging team since their promotion in 2015.

The 'big five' as Preston fans like to refer to them as may see their futures elsewhere come 2021, as the lure of clubs with better financial packages may come calling.

For now though, Johnson and his other out-of-contract teammates remain on the books at Preston, but if he goes on another goalscoring run between now and January, more clubs other than Rangers may end up being interested in the former Aston Villa man.