4 perfect Alan Browne replacements Preston North End must consider if he leaves in the summer | OneFootball

Preston North End were able to sort out one contract situation during the January transfer window when 2021 signing Ben Whiteman committed to a fresh long-term deal, leaving just one key player's future to sort out.

Lilywhites captain Alan Browne has been at Deepdale since January 2014, meaning he is now owed a testimonial, and he's developed from a fresh-faced teenager in the League One days who arrived from Cork City to being a regular in the Championship and for the Republic of Ireland.

Browne has had a season-high Championship scoring tally of 12 goals back in 2018-19, and whilst that may have dwindled over the years, his overall impact for PNE has always remained pretty consistent.

In December, Browne confirmed he had been offered a new deal, but that still remains unsigned nearly two months later, and interest from Serie A side Salernitana, who failed in late January transfer window approaches for the 28-year-oldbut they maintain an interest on doing a pre-contract deal for the versatile midfielder's services.

That interest could be head-turning for Browne, who could fancy a move to the Amalfi Coast, and come the summer, North End could have to replace the Republic of Ireland international should he decide his future is elsewhere - let's take a look at four players who should be on their recruitment team's radar already.

Marc Leonard - Brighton & Hove Albion

A transfer strategy that North End did very well when Simon Grayson was in charge between 2013 and 2017 was raiding the reserve teams of Premier League clubs for young assets.

Daniel Johnson, Ben Pearson and Callum Robinson were all success stories for the Lilywhites through this method, and they could go back to their roots with the potential signing of Leonard.

The 22-year-old Scotsman has been on the books of Brighton since 2018 having joined from Hearts, and when he completes the 2023-24 season he will have been on loan at Northampton Town for two years.

Leonard looks ready for the step up to the Championship though, and he is an all-action midfielder just like Browne - now though he will find his pathway to first-team football under Roberto De Zerbi blocked.

Linked with Swansea and Cardiff in January, Leonard should be in PNE's price range even though Brighton have the option to extend his contract until 2026, but it is perhaps best if they sell him so he can get regular first-team football and they could even benefit from a sell-on clause in the future.

Jamie Shackleton - Leeds

A player with more Championship and also Premier League experience is Shackleton, who is out of contract with Leeds United at the end of the season and could look to more on for more first-team football.

Shackleton broke into the Leeds first-team for the 2018-19 season at the age of 18, and he has played here and there for the Whites during the last four-and-a-half years whilst being tipped to do good things in football, especially when he appeared 27 times in the top flight for United.

However, Shackleton - now 24 years of age - was sent out on loan to Millwall last season, although he didn't start regularly for the Lions in his 37 appearances in all competitions, and back at Leeds this season he has also figured sparsely.

Leeds are planning for contract talks with Shackleton, per Football Insider, but he will likely have a bit-part role once more and he may now want to gamble on himself elsewhere - like Browne, he is an energetic runner and equally versatile by being able to play as a wing-back too, so that could make him an even more viable target for Ryan Lowe.

PNE could of course go down the loan route to replace Browne for a season, and a player that could do with a season in the Championship is Shoretire.

Whilst playing for Man United's under-21's last season as well as his half-season loan stint in League One at Bolton Wanderers, Shoretire was primarily used as an attacking midfielder, winger or centre-forward, often switching between those roles.

However, since the start of the current season, the 20-year-old has developed into more of an attack-minded central midfielder, whilst he has occasionally also played deeper - it does look as though he could have the abilities to figure in a trio alongside Mads Frøkjær-Jensen though with Ben Whiteman sitting in behind.

There's a chance that Shoretire could be available permanently this summer, but there is more chance of him being loaned out as United want to tie him down to a new contract - and that is where PNE could pounce with a season-long loan approach as with seven goals and four assists in just nine Premier League 2 games, he has clearly outgrown developmental football.

Calvin Twigt - Volendam

North End moved into the overseas market last summer with deals for Frøkjær-Jensen and striker Milutin Osmajić, and finances permitting they could do the same with Twigt.

A 21-year-old midfielder, Twigt is currently plying his trade in the top flight of Dutch football with Volendam and operates in similar roles to Browne as he drifts around the middle of the park, although he doesn't bomb forward as much as the Irishman.

With Volendam struggling in the Eredivisie, we could see Twigt move on in the summer, and we've seen already the likes of Zian Flemming and Million Manhoef have joined Millwall and Stoke City from top flight Dutch sides Fortuna Sittard and Vitesse respectively, so it is a market where Championship clubs can operate.